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Momodou
Denmark
11512 Posts |
 Posted - 27 Sep 2021 : 11:40:22
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A blunder of monumental proportion
By Sidi Sanneh
A political party birthed out of necessity, and in reaction to two decades of living under one of Africa’s most brutal dictatorship, the United Democratic Party [UDP] has scored, what in football parlance is referred to as an ‘own goal’ or an ‘unforced error’ by admitting Mr Babanding Jobarteh as member of the party.
And if optics is as good as the spoken word, the formal introduction of the former Attorney General under the APRC government of Yaya Jammeh was officiated by none other than Mr. Sabally, former Secretary General and Presidential Affairs Minister, also under Jammeh, speaks volumes.
The setting was at a grand political rally with party faithfuls and militants which suggests that the UDP brass will ensure that there will be room at the high table of the UDP stalwarts for Mr. Jobarteh.
With such pomp and pageantry, it will be very difficult for Ousainou Darboe and his top executives,
The avalanche of criticism that ensued is justified because accepting the membership of Mr. Jobarteh into the inner sanctum of the UDP, as suggested by the setting and the accompanying pomp and circumstances. The setting at the rally leaves zero room for plausible deniability. As we say in these parts Hon. Sanna Jawara : nice try, but to absolve the top brass of the party of blame is a tough nut to crack.
The party must disassociate itself from Mr. Jobarteh by not rewarding him with a party post until he is totally exonerated of accusations brought by a witness before the Truth Reconciliation and Reparation Commission that he nipped his nipples with a blade or sharp object while he was in NIA custody.
The former AG was also signatory to the death warrants that authorized the execution of nine inmates who should not have been executed for reasons ranging from mental incompetence to those who did not exhaust their legal remedies provided by law, according to legal experts.
As a Gambian citizen, Mr. Jobarteh enjoys the same constitutional guarantees of freedom of association as any other citizen. Therefore, he is free to support any party of his choosing.
The NPP came under heavy criticism - and justifiably so - from many quarters, including me, for joining forces with Jammeh’s APRC to form an alliance in time for the December presidential elections. Most of the criticisms of the NPP - APRC Alliance emanated from UDP stalwarts, as well as rank and file members. only for the bigwigs to commit an equally egregious blunder of their own.
Sidi Sanneh
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Momodou
Denmark
11512 Posts |
Posted - 29 Sep 2021 : 23:25:50
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I’m posting this from the dentist’s chair. So, you’ll understand if it short, and to the point. I’d like to express my unreserved gratitude to the UDP leadership for owning up to their error in judgement by taking full responsibility, and in a timely fashion, for what transpired at the Saruja rally. We must now put this unfortunate incident behind us and move forward with the.campaign for the soul of the country.
Sidi Sanneh
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UDP Secretary General& Party Leader STATEMENT on Saruja Incident
On Saturday 25th September 2021 the United Democratic Party had a well-organised and well attended political rally in Saruja in the Central River Region of the republic of the Gambia and on Sunday some UDP members held fruitful consultations with villages in the vicinity.
On behalf of the National Executive Committee of the UDP I wish thank the CRR Regional Executive, the National Organising Committee and the Lower and Upper Fulladu West Constituencies Executive Committees and may I single out for praise the National Assembly Member for Upper Fulladu West Hon. Dawda K. Jawara for all his hard work and for realising an excellent event.
However, since then an unscripted moment on stage has threatened to blemish what was by several accounts a successful political meeting of the UDP and to detract from the tremendous work that the CRR wing of the Party has invested in the region. The impromptu appearance of Mr. Lamin Jobarteh (Former AG of The Gambia) and his announcement of joining the UDP was not scheduled nor authorised by the National Executive Committee.
Some members and friends of the UDP have openly expressed their views and concerns on social media and the Party leadership has duly noted their reactions.
As mentioned before the appearance was unscheduled and given the informal nature of events of this kind the masters of ceremonies need to have latitude to progress the event to a satisfactory conclusion. So it was within that context that his appearance happened.
Whilst it is pointless to blame anyone, with hindsight it was an error of judgement to accord Mr. Jorbateh the honour of speaking on a UDP stage.
As a victim and as the Party leader of the UDP I take full responsibility for this lapse in judgement and hereby unreservedly apologise to our members and the Gambian people at large. I wish to reassure all compatriots of the unwavering resolve of the UDP to see that justice will be done without fear or favour ill-will or affection to all.
No member can rely on the UDP for support or protection, because human rights violations are not only against the law of the land, but against the values and principles of the UDP.
Furthermore UDP believes that a socio-political system in which there is no answerability for one’s actions and inactions is a dysfunctional one and by implication will be unable to sustain the rule of law, good governance and true practice of democracy.
A.N.M OUSAINU DARBOE
SECRETARY GENERAL & PARTY LEADER
29TH SEPTEMBER 2021
www.udp.gm |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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A blunder of monumental proportion
