International Relations Expert Vladmir Antwi Danso has asked the West Africa High delegation to the Gambia to be stern in getting Yahya Jammeh out of office.

President Yahya Jammeh has refused to step down after he was defeated in the December 1 polls.

He initially conceded defeat but later said he was no longer accepting the results.

The US and his opponents have condemned his turn around. Speaking to Roland Walker on the AM Show today, Mr. Antwi Danso said Jammeh’s actions dent the country’s democratic credentials.

He suspects the fear of unknown may have contributed to Jammeh's refusal to step down.

Jammeh at 29  took over the reins of power in 1994 in a bloodless coup d'etat which removed Dawda Jawara from office.

Seen as a dictator by some human rights activists, Jammeh has been in office for 22 years after winning three separate elections.

His fourth attempt at the presidency was foiled by Adama Barrow who defeated him in the 2016 election.

Mr Barrow won 263,515 votes representing 45.5% in Thursday's election, while President Jammeh took 212,099 representing, 36.7%, according to the electoral commission.

A third party candidate, Mama Kandeh, won 102,969 (17.8%).

President Yahya Jammeh conceded defeat but made a u-turn several days later claiming there were massive irregularities in the elections. He has since refused to hand over power to the president elect.

A number of African leaders including President John Mahama are in Gambia as ECOWAS initiates efforts to get that country’s President Yahya Jammeh to step down after losing the elections.

Antwi Danso said the ECOWAS leaders should not treat the Gambian leader with kid gloves.

"It is very unfortunate. The ECOWAS group should be resilient, relentless in their quest for Jammeh to hand over power.

"If they don't succeed we shall have a certain monster there. What Jammeh has done amounts to a coup d'etat. The protocol on governance and change of government should be applied to the letter," he said.