International relations expert Vladimir Antwi-Danso has urged ECOWAS leaders to adopt "preventive diplomacy" in its quest for Yahya Jammeh to relinquish power.

"I expect them to be more practical in their approach. What Yayha Jammeh is doing is that he is not stupid, he is afraid of his shadows and so what we need to do is to give him some kind of bait," he said.

"They should continue with the preventive diplomatic, try to bargain with Yahya Jammeh, bargain his exit. That is more important. We must think of the people... Cote D'Ivoire is an example, we must think about democracy, how we install democracy in Gambia..." he added.

He has also lodged a Supreme Court case to challenge the result this week.

He has also come under intense pressure from the international community, with the EU, UN and the US mulling sanctions against him.

ECOWAS leaders are also converging in Abuja today, Saturday, December 17 to deliberate on future of Gambia's Yahya Jammeh.