By Omar Bah
The deputy spokesperson of President Barrow’s National People’s Party, NPP, has expressed ‘utter disgust’ at the UK MPs’ criticism of the Gambian leader’s broken promise to step down and call for full implementation of TRRC recommendations.
Last week, at least seven members of the House of Commons in the UK signed an Early Day Motion, EDM, welcoming the “imminent publication” of the Gambia’s truth commission’s report, and demanded it be “fully implemented”.
The MPs including long-serving Islington North MP Jeremy Corbyn, also expressed their regret that President Adama Barrow refused to step down as originally agreed with the coalition that backed him.
In his response shared with The Standard Seedy Njie countered: “I read with utter disgust and disappointment, the politically motivated and malicious Early Day Motion supported by 7 MPs in the British House of Commons calculated to attack the Gambian president Adama Barrow.”
Njie further charged that the UK MPs’ motion is highly malicious, unfounded and full of lies.
“It is unfortunate that these MPs for whatever reasons would shamelessly advocate for the full implementation of a commission of inquiry recommendations even though the report is yet to be completed and submitted to the president. This is probably the height of politically-motivated interference in a purely internal and domestic matter,” Njie said.
He said the MPs’ action can be described as a third party plot with vested interest in The Gambia’s domestic politics, deceptively using Jeremey Corbyn and the MPs to gain cheap popularity and simultaneously create a state of fear and confusion to achieve their political objective.
“Therefore, it is with shock and utter dismay that 7 members of the UK House of Commons, supposedly members of high standing in society, would allow themselves to be used as advocates of illegalities and engage in a manner that brings disrepute to the House of Commons. It is laughable that the 7 MPs Early Day Motion supporters would encourage, support and talk about trivial issues and agreements which have no legal basis. Their action is contrary to the supreme law of The Gambia and indeed an insult to democracy and the rule of law,” Njie said.
He contended: “I am particularly disappointed with Jeremy Corbyn as a political leader who apparently acts without wise counsel. No doubt, the lawmaker is regarded as the worst and most inept leader in the history of the UK Labour Party, which led to his disgraceful exit. Commenting on enforcement of an agreement against fundamental laws constitutes the height of hypocrisy.”
Njie said the individual motion “which is not supported by the House of Commons and does not represent the official position of the UK Government, is malicious, ill-conceived, premature and an interference in our internal and domestic matters as a sovereign, independent nation”.
“The Gambia is a sovereign democratic state with constitutional provisions clearly indicating legal processes and procedures regarding recommendations and reports of commissions of inquiry and how the president reviews and considers such commissions,” Njie added.
The UK MPs alleged that since coming to power in 2017, the Barrow Government has not made any progress in the restoration of fundamental rights.
This, Njie added, “did not only show how misplaced Jeremy Corbyn and his colleagues are but that the Motion exposes how misguided, ignorant and disconnected they are from the prevailing realities in The Gambia.”
“The Government of The Gambia does not only assure but equally ensures the protection of people’s rights and liberties to the fullest. Since taking office in 2017, no journalist or political opponent has ever been harassed, intimidated, arrested, tortured, detained and or prosecuted,” he said.
He said the Barrow administration is also committed to fighting and ending corruption.
