By Omar Bah
The Gambia Democratic Congress prefers President Adama Barrow to lead The Gambia for five years rather than Ousainu Darboe leading the country for even two days, according to Dr Demba Sabally, the GDC national chairman.
Speaking at a closed-door meeting with GDC chairpersons and councillors at the party’s bureau at Latrikunda Sabiji, the audio of which is obtained by The Standard Dr Sabally stated: “As far as GDC is concerned Barrow’s two years is better than Darboe’s two days as president. So before we say Barrow should resign, as a party we should look at what is our interest in that Even though we as GDC never wished Barrow to be president because we wanted Honourable Kandeh our leader to be there, but we prefer Barrow to Darboe. We have consulted a lot of people who are experts in the constitution and they said if Barrow resigns today, he will not be able to organise elections as that power will go to the Speaker of the House.”
Dr Sabally also said it is not in the interest of the GDC for elections to be held now because since the constitution is not amended to allow a second round, without which he said UDP will win by simple majority “just as it was the case with Rohey Malick Lowe in Banjul and Talib Bensouda in KMC both of whom did not win the popular vote but were elected because of simple majority.”
“So to say that Barrow should step down now when there is no new constitution or amendment is a big gamble. I want people to understand this. So right now it makes more sense to us for him to complete five years than allow Darboe to have even two days in power,” Sabally asserted adding that whatever GDC does, they should first look for their interest.
“Because inasmuch as we don’t want Barrow there, between Barrow and Darboe, we prefer Barrow to be there until the end of five years,” he said.
