By Amadou Jadama
Alagie Sima the opposition GDC ward chairman of Nyakoi, Momodou Mballow the NPP deputy campaign manager of Bansang Ward and Jokel Jagne, the NPP campaign manager for Niamina East, have decamped to the UDP.
Mr Sima declared his defection to the yellow party at a Nyakoi Kerewan rally, while Mr Mballow announced his in Sandu.
Sima told The Standard: “I joined the UDP because of their agenda and the type of leader they have in Ousainu Darboe. I am a very hard-working militant, GDC can attest to that. And I am now ready to work with Tida Kejira in Nyakoi.
“My defection from GDC will affect them. I will do my utmost to ensure that I bring more people to the UDP. By the will of Allah, let nobody even think that President Adama Barrow will continue to rule this country. UDP will win in 2026, and I call on all Gambians to vote for UDP as the only party that can wipe their tears,” he urged.
On his part, Momodou Mballow told The Standard: “The Gambia is a democratic country and I own myself. So, where my mind feels to go, there I will go. Nobody can threaten me or prevent me from doing so,” he said.
Asked why he quit the ruling party to join the opposition UDP, he replied: “I will not speak on that today. Very soon UDP will have a big event in our village in Upper Fulladu. On that day, everybody will know who I am. Right now, I have registered 300 people who will defect from NPP to UDP.”
Addressing a UDP rally held in Kerr Malima, Niamina East, on Sunday evening, Jokel Jagne explained: “I joined UDP because they have the country at heart, and they have lot of technocrats in their party and we all know you cannot rule a country when you do not have knowledge. I used to have high hopes for NPP, but the manner the country has been ruled is bad. I lost hope in President Barrow because since he came into office, he has failed to address the concerns of Gambians including we the farmers. Our concerns should be his number one priority, but that is not the case. Take this year’s trade season for example, we are expecting that the price of groundnut will be increased, but nothing has been added to it while they have been increasing their own salaries. What President Barrow could not do in the past five years, he cannot do in the next five years. These are the reasons I joined the UDP.”
