By Aminata Kuyateh
Citizens’ Alliance party on Saturday held a rally in the North Bank Region where its leader and information minister, Dr Ismaila Ceesay, openly defended President Adama Barrow and justified the party’s alliance with the ruling National People’s Party.
Addressing supporters, Dr Ceesay said the aim of Citizens’ Alliance’s is to lead, but ultimately the determinant of who leads is in the hands of Allah. “That is why we said we will join hands and work with any party that wins, for the development of The Gambia,” Dr Ceesay said.
He recalled that after winning the election, President Barrow declared himself president for the entire nation and called on opposition parties to join hands with him. According to Dr Ceesay, that call was the basis of CA’s decision to work with the president, a decision he said the party does not regret.
“Allah made Barrow win the election, and after his victory, he said he is president for the whole nation. He opened his arms to everyone. That is the reason we joined him to work together for the betterment of this country, and it is never a regret,” he said.
Dr Ceesay described President Barrow as humble, honest and deeply committed to the country, noting that these qualities earned him broad support across political lines. He said the president’s trust in Citizens’ Alliance was demonstrated when he appointed him minister of information to serve as a link between the presidency and the general public.
“The president tasked us to be mediators between the presidency and the people so that their challenges, hardships and difficulties are heard. He knows the presidency is a trust given by God,” Dr Ceesay said.
He told supporters that what he witnessed in the North Bank Region showed that the opposition had little political space left.
“The alliance will bring victory for the president. What I saw in North Bank today shows it is a no-go area for the opposition,” he said, adding that the gathering was not a campaign. “The president has already won the election. What we are doing today is just chatting with supporters.”
Much of Dr Ceesay’s address focused on President Barrow’s infrastructural record, which he said speaks for itself.
He cited the construction of the 84km Hakalang Road as a major development in the region.
He also pointed to progress in rural electrification, noting that before 2017 only nine villages in Upper, Lower and Jokadu districts had electricity, while today 106 villages are connected to the power grid.
On agriculture, Dr Ceesay said the government supported farmers with seeds and guaranteed the purchase of groundnuts at D38,000 per tonne, a price he described as unmatched in the sub-region.
He said the cost of basic commodities has stabilised and livelihoods are improving, insisting that there was no political space for the opposition in the North Bank Region.
Dr Ceesay further highlighted health sector interventions, including the introduction of community ambulances under President Barrow’s guidance, which he said have benefited many communities in the region.
Turning to the youths, he urged young people to take advantage of opportunities provided by the government and acquire skills to improve their lives. He said President Barrow has prioritised youth empowerment, particularly in the North Bank Region, citing projects such as the Songhai Institute and the ROOTS Project.
“The population of this country is largely youths. That is why President Barrow created opportunities for them,” he said.
Dr Ceesay dismissed opposition arguments against a third term, stating that the constitution does not set term limits. He claimed that even opposition parties believe President Barrow will win, pointing to their failure to form a united alliance.
He concluded by saying that from Basse to Kartong, Gambians are ready to vote for President Barrow because they want the continuation of peace, progress, stability and democracy.
