By Omar Bah
Basirou Gassama, a former APRC kingpin in Bakau now ardent supporter of the UDP, has called on the rank and file of the former ruling party to allow the country to heal from the alleged heinous crimes committed by former President Jammeh.
Mr Gassama said the APRC interim leader Fabakary Tombong Jatta and spokesman Seedy Njie should “take a break and give the country a little rest from hardship of the APRC”.
Walking into The Standard offices yesterday afternoon, the retired hotel security chief and state intelligence operative stated: “Fabakary and Seedy and all of them should accept that governments come and go but the country remains. All what APRC deserve now is prosecution. They should be prosecuted for the crimes they committed. Yes, I myself used to be a very strong supporter of APRC but when I accept that Jammeh was trying to compromise the peace and stability of the country to stay in power’ I quit,” he said.
On the Kanilai troubles, the sharpshooting Bakau New Town man said: “For peace to continue to reign in the place, the people of Kanilai will have to accept that the Jammeh era is gone. They should accept that this is a new Gambia led by President Barrow whose era will also end one day,” he said.
He said the call for Ecomig soldiers to leave Kanilai is a non-starter. “You see the people of Kanilai should understand that The Gambia is not owned by Jammeh or President Barrow. The Gambia belongs to all Gambians irrespective of tribe or political affiliation,” he added.
He said those who thought that Jammeh is coming back anytime soon “are fooling themselves”.
Mr Gassama also took time to call on Gambians resident abroad to “stop making non-valuable criticisms. “Let them come and contribute to national development and stop the too much [sic] rhetoric, because The Gambia is not for sale.”
