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Momodou
Denmark
11525 Posts |
 Posted - 16 Apr 2010 : 21:37:57
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OJ Calls for Opposition Accord
By Alieu Darboe
The Interim Leader of PPP Omar Jallow alias OJ has underscored the importantance of the country’s opposition parties coming together and work as a family.
He was speaking at the recent press briefing organized by the United Democratic Party on the conviction of its Campaign Manager Mr.Femi Peters. He noted that the opposition in the country has a great role to play in the promotion of true democratic and human right issues saying that the Gambia could not forge ahead without the participation of the opposition.
According to OJ, the present political situation in the country needs to be taken into consideration since the opposition has been denied their political rights by the police whom he said have no mandate to do so. "We as the opposition should work as a team and prepare for the 2011 elections which is a test case for all Gambians as the country is experiencing a lot of human rights abuses."
On the conviction of Femi Peters, the former Agriculture minister in the first republic said the conviction was indeed politically motivated and it should be seen as a ploy to silence the opposition in the country which he said will not only affect the opposition but even those in the ruling APRC.
"The conviction of Femi is a trap for other opposition parties and we will continue to exercise our political rights in accordance with the laws of the land." He said. He was however quick to maintain that the Gambian opposition is not afraid of going to jail as far as it is on the right track emphasizing that the executive should know that the Gambia belongs to all.
He finally called on the government to release Peters without delay as he was a prisoner of conscience.
Samba Bah the Administrative Secretary NRP also speaking on the occasion urged the security forces to be neutral as their role is to protect the citizens but not to be involved in party politics. He stated that governments come and go but the security mechanism remains unchanged.
Bah further described the conviction of his political colleague as undemocratic and totally uncalled for saying that the IGP who has been denying the UDP a permit had not been reasonable. "Where is that very IGP" He quizzed noting that this is why the security forces should know that they are here for the people and not for any single person, he concluded.
Source: Dailynews
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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