By Omar Bah
A source close to one of the members of former president’s civilian entourage who flew with him into exile has informed this paper that Jammeh availed on Generals Ansumana Tamba and Umpah Mendy to return home a fortnight ago.
The source in Equatorial Guinea told The Standard via telephone: “The big man [Jammeh] told them [Umpah Mendy and Ansumana Tamba] to return home because they were not wanted by the authorities back home. This is just to say their return has nothing to do with what many may thought was a planned coup plot or whatsoever. I am very aware of everything that transpired before they left Equatorial Guinea.”
According to the source, Jammeh himself is homesick and felt betrayed by the Coalition government over the [purported] agreement they made with him before he left the country during the political impasse.
“But I must say that Yahya Jammeh has no intention to do anything stupid…. Let us say he is not thinking of anything malicious for the new administration because until now, he thinks he loves the country more than any other Gambian. What is certain is that he misses The Gambia and wants to come back,” the source claimed.
MA Bah appointment
The source further claimed that that although the former President Jammeh may be physically removed from The Gambia by thousands of kilometres, he still calls the shots regarding the affairs of the former ruling APRC. “It was him who chose MA Bah to be the interim [deputy] party leader. I just want to say that he is dictating everything from his residence in Guinea and he follows closely everything that is happening in The Gambia.”
