By Amadou Jadama
The leader of the dormant National Democratic Action Movement (NDAM) has called on opposition leaders in the country to put aside individual differences and rally behind UDP’s Ousainu Darboe to unseat President Adama Barrow in December election.
Lamin Waa Juwara served as propaganda secretary for the UDP in its early days before falling out with the party and moving on to form NDAM and subsequently served as minster and governor in the Jammeh administration.
He was subsequently sacked by Jammeh after a fallout over his ‘principleness’ and later dragged to court over what he said was trumped-up charges from which he was acquitted by a court in 2015 .
In a rare media interview, the veteran politician told The Standard that because of Darboe’s standing as an epitome of the fight against Jammeh’s oppression, the UDP leader is perhaps the best-placed person to wipe the tears of the Gambian people.
“I support him 100 percent and despite our differences before, I know him and to be fair with him, Darboe has done a lot and sacrificed a lot too. So I don’t see any reason why he should not win the hearts of Gambians this time round,” Juwara said.
The former National Assembly member of Niamina added that the political players should recognise Darboe’s longstanding status and without conditions, rally behind him to salvage the country from Adama Barrow.
“President Adama Barrow’s coalition with APRC is an insult to the Gambian people, especially the victims, of whom I was one. I went to prison several times with Alhaji Karamo Touray, the [Imam] Ratib of Brikama, and we were very badly treated there and I will never forget that in my life,” he said.
Juwara said the younger generation should learn from the elders about the terrible things that happened in the country in terms of looting state funds and the violation of human rights.
“To be frank, I initially supported Adama Barrow as the choice of the people who sacrificed their lives and voted him in 2016 and he should not forget the people and the objectives that elected him. But today, I don’t think he deserves anybody’s support because he allied himself with this dictatorial [party] which can cost him re-election. Now it is the duty of every patriotic Gambian to come together to make sure that we save our country,” Juwara said.
