By Amadou Jadama
The deputy leader of the United Democratic Party has said claims by President Barrow that he sponsored the election of UDP mayors and National Assembly members in 2017 and 2018 are false.
Addressing a rally in Farafenni over the weekend, Aji Yam Secka said it was the remainder of the Coalition 2016 money that was spent to sponsor candidates of all the parties in the coalition and not those of UDP alone. She said Barrow had no money at the time to sponsor UDP candidates. She said the UDP got more money from that budget because it was the biggest party with more candidates than the rest of the coalition parties contesting in those National Assembly and mayoral elections.
“So, to say that he personally sponsored UDP candidates is false,” the UDP deputy leader said.
According to Yam Secka, President Barrow should at least give credit to the UDP and asked who sponsored his candidature and campaign in Jimara when he contested for parliament. “Again, was it not the coalition that paid for your nomination deposit as presidential candidate in 2016?” she asked.
“Adama, you must always remember and never forget that it was UDP that prepared you and you must be grateful and thank the party”, she stressed.
Hamat Bah
The deputy UDP leader said Tourism Minister and leader of the NRP Hamat Bah was absent for the most part of the 2016 and did not even contribute a single butut to the campaign and only surfaced at Sukuta.
According to Yam Secka, President Barrow was angered by her statement at Banjulinding that it is time the people pay back Ousainu Darboe by electing him after Adama Barrow’s three years.
“From that moment, Adama Barrow got angry with me,” she said.
Demolition exercise
She said the current demolition of shops and other structures around highways could have been avoided if the government through Physical Planning enforces the law banning such constructions.
“I am asking the National Road Authority and Physical Planning to explain where were they when businessmen and women were building their shops on the highway,” she said.
Madam Secka said the UDP is the solution for the Gambia and is the only party that can rescue the country from the destruction caused by Adama Barrow.
