Tchiroma Bakary had been taken in for "humanitarian reasons", the authorities in Banjul said. They added that attempts were being made with regional partners such as Nigeria to resolve tensions in Cameroon following the October 12 elections.
Human rights lawyer and the spokeswoman for Tchiroma Bakary, Alice Nkom, said the Gambian government was providing protection to Tchiroma Bakary, "as he is the president of a country".
Tchiroma Bakary’s safety could no longer be guaranteed in Cameroon, she said, adding that the 76-year-old former government spokesman had no option but to flee.
Tchiroma Bakary continues to insist that he emerged victorious in the elections, securing more votes than the 92-year-old Biya, who has been in office for 43 years.
The country’s Constitutional Court declared Biya the victor with 53.7% of the votes cast, while Tchiroma Bakary, who had served under Biya until the summer, gained about 35%.
The authorities in Cameroon have threatened to arrest Tchiroma Bakary, accusing him of endangering peace with his calls for protest against the election results.
Observers see the elections as flawed.
Thousands of Tchiroma Bakary supporters have been arrested following the protests.
According to official reports, 16 people died in the unrest, while the opposition has put the figure at more than 50.
The West African country of 30 million inhabitants faces economic difficulties and conflict, including a separatist struggle in the English-speaking regions and attacks by Islamist terrorist groups. — dpa
