UDP candidate Ousainu Darboe has pledged constitutional reform, security sector transformation and a corruption-free government were he to win the 5th December presidential election.
Speaking after tendering his nomination papers at the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) yesterday, Darboe said if given the mandate, he would serve a single term which will deliver far-reaching reforms and leave a lasting legacy for the country.
He advised Gambians to approach the electoral process with rationality and responsibility, and warned against actions driven by emotions that could threaten the country’s peace and stability.
“Let us not be guided by our emotions. I want to appeal to every Gambian that we should be reasonable and rational, and that we should not do anything that will disturb the tranquility and stability of this country,” Darboe exhorted.
He described the maintenance of peace during the electoral period as a collective national responsibility, urging citizens to ensure that the country’s democratic process proceeds without disruption.
Journalists asked how he would ensure that his pledge to serve only one term, if elected, would be legally guaranteed rather than remain a personal promise, Darboe said his word was his bond.
He said constitutional, security sector, economic and civil service reforms will be major priorities of his administration and pledged to lay the foundation for an economic takeoff, through progressive policies aimed at moving the country from its least-developed-country status towards middle-income status.
On the question of corruption and whether his government would implement the recommendations of the Janneh Commission, Darboe reiterated his party’s longstanding position against economic malfesance, claiming that the UDP had consistently raised concerns about corruption since 1996.
Burnishing his anti-graft credentials, Darboe cited the party’s role in exposing the transfer of US$3 million into a Swiss Bank saga involving members of the junta in the 1990s, and subsequently lifting the lid off the crude oil saga.
