By Omar Bah
President Adama Barrow has called on all Gambians especially his opponents in the December election to put the polls behind them and focus on fostering national unity and building the country.
Addressing thousands of National Peoples Party supporters, political party leaders who supported his re-election bid and other delegates, President Barrow said: “I want to be the president of all Gambians regardless of which side of the divide you are. I want all of us to be one people and put our political differences aside and see The Gambia, which is bigger than all of us.”
While challenging the country’s young people that brewing “attaya” and being sentimental on social media will not solve Gambia’s problems, he admonished his opponents to respect the will of the Gambian people and move on.
“If there is a winner in this election it is The Gambia,” he said.
President Barrow said the “credibility and transparency” of the December polls has given the country international commendation.
“Apart from the transparency of the election, we have also made history in terms of the turnout because it is the only one country in the whole world, Australia, that had a bigger turnout than the Gambia, 91% in the history of elections. That means in the official records Gambia has the second biggest electoral turnout in the world. In fact, in Australia it is a force to vote so because of that I will consider the Gambia number one,” he said.
The president, who refused to take credit, said “all this is for Gambia’s common good and I am convinced that The Gambia will continue progressing”.
NA election
President Barrow reminded his supporters of the importance of the upcoming National Assembly elections, saying “if you want me to fulfill all the promises I made to you and avoid the difficulties I face in the past five years, you should give me National Assembly members, councilors, chairmen and mayors. If that happens, you can leave the rest in my hands.”
“I want to assure you that I will be on the campaign trail to campaign for my National Assembly candidates because I don’t joke with the work I am going to embark on in the next five years. I want to break records in the next five years to ensure those who voted for me will hold their heads high,” he said.
The Gambian leader also announced plans to inaugurate the Basse Market, Rural Electricity project and the Sabach Sanjal road in the coming months.
