By Omar Bah
Special Presidential Adviser Momodou Sabally has said that President Adama Barrow’s third term bid is “undebatable.”
Sabally, a former vocal critic of the president was speaking in Mankamang-Kunda, the home village of the president who is currently on his annual leave. His comments came amid growing controversy and calls from various political and nonpolitical actors urging Barrow to set a good example and ‘avoid staining his democratic credentials’.
In his speech Sabally said Barrow is morally obliged to seek another mandate which he said would serve as a continuation of his developmental agenda, stability and progress in The Gambia.
“For me, I will not go into a debate with anyone regarding President Barrow’s third term bid. He is qualified and up to the task to seek another mandate and he will do so. In-fact, all what I am thinking about currently is to convince the president to run for a fourth term because the issue of third term is not debatable. President Barrow will contest a third term and will win without a doubt,” Sabally stated.
He said Rwanda which remains Africa’s fastest developing country is led by a president who served more than three terms.
“The Rwandan president just won a fourth term in office and the whole world is clapping for him because of the development trajectory he has brought to Rwandans. President Barrow is doing the same thing in The Gambia so I see no reason he should not seek a third and fourth term to develop The Gambia beyond Rwanda,” Sabally said.
He continued to state that President Barrow is by far more democratic than the Rwandanese president and his continuous stay in power will be a blessing in disguise for all Gambians including the opposition.
“Barrow staying in power is even good for the opposition because it allows them to continue enjoying the free democratic space. It is only President Barrow who will watch his opponents on TV making inflammatory remarks and laugh it off and let them go scot-free,” he said.
Sabally said those calling for President Barrow to step-down after his second term should shut up and focus on the responsibilities assigned to them by their electorates.
“Some of the people planning to go against Barrow’s third term were assigned with a small area of our local government administration and they cannot even clean their markets. They should forget about Barrow and focus on their TOR because they have woefully failed their voters,” he said.
A former Secretary General and Head of the Civil Service under Jammeh, Sabally added that nothing will stop Barrow from running again.
“So let them give peace a chance,” he said.
