By Amadou Jadama
The former spokesperson of the National Reconciliation Party, Pateh Baldeh, has defected to the main opposition United Democratic Party.
Confirming this to The Standard yesterday, Mr Baldeh explained that his conviction is that politics and politicians should be about the concern and aspirations of the people and their welfare in addition to good programs and ideas.
“In view of these principles, I have decided to join the UDP because I feel that UDP stands to bring meaningful change for the Gambian people, which I hope if achieved the lives and the livelihoods of the Gambian people would be better.
What we expected after coming together to elect one of us, is not what we got. The Gambian today is suffering with high cost of living and adject poverty,” he said.
Baldeh said he has decided to use the tour of Mansakonko Area Council Landing Sanneh and Mayor of Kanifing Talib Bensouda to join the UDP, not because of positions, but to work together to bring a meaningful change to the Gambian people.
Former NRP spokesperson expressed gratitude to his people in Jarra East and the people of Lower River Region for the love and confidence they have for him, and the encouragement to be part of the UDP.
Mr Baldeh unsuccessfully contested the Jarra East parliamentary seat in 2022 as independent after he fell out with his former party NRP.
In 2023 mayoral and chairmen elections, he endorsed the incumbent Landing Sanneh, the UDP candidate in the Mansakonko Area Council.
