By Omar Bah
The National Assembly Member for Wuli West, Sidia Jatta and several other current serving MPs have confirmed their intention to seek re-election in the April parliamentary elections.
While Mr Jatta is preparing to seek re-election, his longtime political partner and PDOIS Secretary General Halifa Sallah has announced he will not contest for political office again. The Standard has been reliably informed that Mr Jatta will face a tough challenge from the likes of UN Human Rights Heroes award winner and executive director of Beakanyang, Nfamara Jawneh, former APRC MP Kasum Jallow, Janko Jawneh, a senior education officer who contested against Jatta on two occasions and lost while dozen others are reportedly interested to contest under NPP ticket in the constituency. But sources in Wuli West have informed this medium that it will take a very strong and popular candidate to defeat the veteran politician.
Others
The PDOIS NAM for Banjul North, Ousman Sillah and the party’s MP for Wuli East Swaebou Touray have also confirmed they will seek re-election.
“I am already selected by my people and I will stand for PDOIS. So I am definitely contesting and I am confident of winning,” the PDOIS MP for Wuli East Swaebou Touray told The Standard yesterday.
UDP
The United Democratic Party has issued a statement notifying Gambians and its supporters that the party intends to contest all the fifty-three seats in the National Assembly. The party said: “In view of the need to strengthen the bond of unity in the party for more seats, vibrant and strong opposition in the Legislature in this trying time, the National Executive Committee resolved to retain the current twenty-two (22) UDP National Assembly Members (NAMs) subject to confirmation of interest by the NAM on or before 20th January 2022.”
The UDP MP for Serekunda West, Madi Ceesay also confirmed his re-election bid.
“I am certainly going to contest the Serekunda West seat and I am confident that the seat is going to the United Democratic Party,” a confident Madi Ceesay told The Standard. The party’s Bundunka Kunda MP Bakary Njie has also confirmed that he will seek re-election and expressed confidence that he will win.
GDC
The Gambia Democratic Congress national youth president, Modou MC Cham has confirmed the party’s intention to contest all 53 seats. When asked whether the party’s current two MPs will contest, Mr Cham said: “The party has given them the green light, however the selection process will be entirely handled at the constituency level.”
NRP
The Minority Leader and NAM for Niamina Dankunku Samba Jallow also confirmed his intention to contest if given the green light by his constituency.
APRC
The Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction was contacted for comments but both the party’s spokesperson Amul Nyassi and his deputy Dodou Jah said they were in a meeting and could not talk.
