|
Momodou
Denmark
11737 Posts |
 Posted - 09 Aug 2006 : 23:54:26
|
DARBOE REBUTS FJC AND BALA
Fabakary B Ceesay
The Leader of the UDP/NRP Alliance, Lawyer Ousainou Darboe, has countered the claims made by Fatoumata Jahumpa-Ceesay and SOS Bala Garba Jahumpa at a recent APRC rally held in Wellingara.
Nominated Member Fatoumata Jahumpa has challenged the UDP/NRP leader to take heart and join the APRC. She reminded Darboe of his congratulatory message to President Jammeh after the October 2001 polls in which the UDP/NRP leader conceded defeat to President Jammeh. “So why be an opposition to the president still?” She asked Darboe. She noted that one day the UDP/NRP leader will finally join the APRC and rally behind President Jammeh.
Addressing the same gathering, SOS Bala Garba Jahumpa blamed Mr. Darboe for castigating the president on the vehicles he brought to host other guests during the African Union Summit {AU). He said that Darboe attacked Jammeh for buying expensive Vehicles. “I think Darboe wanted the highly respected personals to be carried by “gele geles” (large commercial vehicles),” he said.
Granting an interview with this reporter, Mr. Darboe brushed aside the claims made by Fatoumata Jahumpa-Ceesay. Darboe pointed out that the statement from FJC shows her level of maturity in politics. “Congratulating one and accepting the results are a clear manifestation of the tradition of Democracy,” Darboe stressed.
On the issue of joining the APRC, Mr. Darboe responded thus: “If the pope can perform the Hajj, then Ousainou Darboe and the UDP/NRP leadership can join the APRC party.”
Mr. Darboe also countered the claims made by SoS Jahumpa with regards to high cost of vehicles as not issues to dispute over. He said that there are fantastic Mercedes Benzes and brown new Pajero at the disposal of the government and that the dignitaries can ride confortably in them. Mr. Darboe also said that even though he never expected the dignitaries to be brought by “gele geles”, but that he never expected them to buy those types of vehicles at the time that the country is suffering economically. Darboe faulted the government for spending such an extravagant expenditure when poor Gambian farmers had their peanuts taken away from them and have not been paid. “The AU was just a two days affair and we are now saddled with those vehicles. I think SoS Jahumpa should be modest and honest to the Gambian people, instead of trivializing issues,” he said. The UDP/NRP leader accepted that he accepted the guests to be given due respect and be accorded with facilities, but not those types of facilities that the poor Gambian cannot give them. He noted that the AU dignitaries were not using those types of vehicles when they met in Sudan. He asserted that even though Sudan’s hosting cannot be compared to that of The Gambia. “But people like SoS Jahumpa will always try to explain the unexplainable and to justify the unjustifiable,” he said.
The UDP/NRP flag bearer also shrugged off claims made by Fabakary kolior Camara, who claimed to be the assistant auditor of the UDP Youth Wing in Lower River Division (LRD). According to Darboe, he had no knowledge of a UDP auditor in LRD or an assistant auditor. He said that Mr. Camara is a political opportunist shifting from party to party. Darboe noted that the defection of Mr. Camara will have no negative impact on his party as LRD is already their stronghold.
Source: Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No. 63/2006, 9-10 July, 2006
|
|
Topic Locked
