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Momodou
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 Posted - 26 Oct 2009 : 15:11:18
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“UDP will No Longer Allow Any Security Agency to Trample on Our constitutional rights"
By Saihou Jammeh & Saikou Ceesay
The leader of the Gambia’s biggest opposition political party Lawyer Ousainou Darboe has told party supporters at a political rally that the United Democratic Party (UDP) will no longer allow government security officers to trample on their constitutional rights of denying them the right to hold political rallies.
He made this remarks while addressing party supporters and sympathizers at a rally held in Serre-Kunda on Saturday October 24.Darboe has in no uncertain terms said that his party will resist any force, be they Army, Police or any other security officer who seeks to impedes on their rights.
The UDP Leader’s comment came in the wake of a controversy that erupted at the meeting ground when the police stormed the crowd and requested from the campaigners their permit to hold rally, an incident which occurred minutes before the party leader arrived at the meeting ground being escorted by cheering supporters with a slogan “Sunu ryew nyoko mom”.
“We are a registered political party and we will infact not tell anyone to give us what is our right. This country belongs to all of us and we will continue with our activities”, Darboe remarked.
According to Lawyer Darboe his party is always denied permit to hold rally by the Inspector General of Police Essa Badjie.He said no one can stifle the opposition activities in the country. The campaign he said has begun and will never stop.
He added that his party will hold rallies over and over whether given permit or not, but was quick to add that they will go through the normal procedure by making formal application to the office of IGP.
He recalled that the last political rally the party held in Bakau was done without a permit, making further announcement that the party will stage another rally on the first Saturday after the Tobaski feast.
Darboe refuted President Jammeh’s allegation that Gambians traveling out of the country are those that spoils the name of the country, arguing that the President’s close associates are the ones tarnishing the image of the country.
For UDP campaign manager Femi Peters the party is an opposition party because they have the conviction that they can do better than the APRC government.
Peters said the APRC lacks the foresight to develop the country as enshrined in the agendas on the UDP.
“We are informing you that we have our party, our leader we trust, and we are not afraid. Until we reach there, we will all realise that The Gambia belongs to all of us”, Peters said.
He said Darboe is more dexterous than President Jammeh gap he said can hardly be noticed by many Gambians, informing supporters that Darboe is the choice of the party, noting that they will continue to rally behind him.
According to Alhaji Foday Ceesay, the UDP Serre-Kunda Central Constituency Chairman people should be bold enough to defend what are their rights.
A formidable female politician Aji Yam Secka expressed conviction that UDP will emerged victorious in 2011 elections. She said UDP has suffered many ordeals and have been called all sorts of derogatory words. Yam Secka told supporters that voting registration will be held next year, implored supporters to take registration seriously and encourage other members who have attained the voting age to vote.
She advised supporter not to fear of exercising their political rights as along as they don’t offend anyone. “We did not insult neither offend anyone, it’s our constitutional right to hold rallies”, said Yam Secka.
To this end she urged supporters not to fear anything as long as their activities don’t infringed the laws of the land saying that Darboe whoever Darboe lead should not fear anything as he is a competent barrister.
Source: The Daily News
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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