By Tabora Bojang
The Never Again Network, a rights advocacy group advocating for a break from past human rights and political abuses under former President Jammeh, on Tuesday issued a statement expressing “total and unequivocal” opposition to President Adama Barrow’s decision to seek a third term in office.
In the statement, the group warned that Barrow’s third term bid threatens the short, medium or long-term peace, security and stability of The Gambia.
“We believe that if he runs for a third term and wins, he is likely to seek a fourth, fifth and even sixth term. In the long run, his overstaying in power will inevitably cause insecurity and strife in this country,” the group warned.
It continued: “We are opposed to Barrow’s third term bid because it represents a betrayal of his solemn promises to honor the 2016 coalition agreement. Barrow was chosen as the candidate for a coalition of political actors who spent 22 long years fighting a dictatorship that thrived on self-perpetuation and the abuse of the Gambian people and constitution. Unfortunately, once elected, Barrow broke the primary condition for which he was chosen as the 2016 coalition candidate, namely, that he would serve for only three years and organise and oversee fresh elections among the coalition partners and other interested parties. Barrow saw an opportunity to cling on to power and seized it, without regard for his coalition mandate of serving only three years. Yes, the 1997 constitution allowed him to do that. But truth, honesty, the integrity of the coalition agreement, and the supreme interests of the country did not permit him. Moreover, democratic governance is sustained not only by constitutional provisions, but also by democratic norms and respect for safeguards that prevent the abuse of political incumbency. Human trust is sacred and must be safeguarded, however tempting the urge to do otherwise. We oppose the negation of that trust.”
According to the group, Barrow’s third term bid also represents a breaking of another promise he made to entrench term limits in the constitution, having expressed he was a big fan of term limits. “Why does Barrow think that it is okay to break his promises to the Gambian people just because he can? This is a dangerous presumption that, sooner or later, will come back to bite him, and that could cause irreparable damage to our country. The president’s personal desire to stay in power simply because he can, and simply because power is sweet, should not negate the supreme interests of this country and jeopardise the long-term peace and security of the Gambian people. His third term bid is simply unjustifiable,” the group said.
It accused President Barrow of playing Yahya Jammeh’s politics by thinking he is the only Gambian capable of serving as president.
“We submit that yes, Barrow has done and is doing relatively well; but that is no reason for him to cling on to power. Barrow must do the right thing and allow the Gambian people to move on with their lives, their country, their history. We need to consolidate our democracy, not groom another sit-tight president,” it said.
The group further called on the government to abandon its plan to introduce a media accreditation policy and online content regulations contending there is no rational justification to police the Gambian people’s freedom of expression. “Government can choose to take action against any journalist who breaks the law. But until then, let our thoughts flow. Do not shackle our national imagination. Let us have a free marketplace of ideas. Only backward and repressive regimes muzzle their citizens’ freedom of expression. We like to think that Barrow does not see his government as backward and regressive, and does not want his government to be seen as backward and regressive.”
