Coalition Leader Chides Electoral Commission, Ruling Party




The Independent (Banjul)

September 3, 2001
Posted to the web September 3, 2001

Lamin Dibba
Banjul, the Gambia

The leader of the United Democratic Party (UDP) and head of the coalition of
the opposition parties, Lawyer Ousainou Darboe has described IEC's seeking
advice from Joseph Joof, the secretary of state for justice, for his
possible candidature in the forthcoming October 18 presidential elections as
a big blow to the commission.

Addressing thousands of party militants and sympathizers at Dippakunda
Saturday, Darboe said Joseph Joof was an ignorant man who could not see
beyond his nose and that the APRC has few days to dissolve and disappear
from Gambian politics come October 18.




"The APRC knows they are fighting a lost battle. I am also aware that they
are going all out to ensure the election is re-scheduled because they want
to file a court injunction against me for my murder trial. We have very
highly talented lawyers who did not major in history and claim to be
lawyers. The injunction, if they don' t take care will end up injuring
them", he said.

He said all the commissioners and the APRC chairmen and women would be
deposed and that alone would finish the party if the coalition wins the
election which, according to him is a must.

The organizing secretary of the UDP, Lamin Waa Juwara said Dr. Saho was a
lost man, that his statement on why he joined the APRC government was
ironical to the party's mission statement because he said when he was a
minister in the PPP regime he carried out many development projects in
Central Badibu, which is an indication that the APRC was lying when it said
30 years of Jawara's regime did nothing for Gambians.

"What of the health center at Njaba Kunda and the gardens all over Central
Badibu?" He asked.

On Yankuba Tourey, Juwara said he was a professional liar. " He said we were
behind the April 10 and 11 students disturbances. A commission of inquiry
was set up by the APRC and it was never mentioned in the report that we
masterminded the riots. We will sue him for the allegation and he will learn
a bitter lesson. We expect Yankuba Tourey to tell us how or who killed Koro
Ceesay to clear the government from that noise if they are not the
culprits."

On Buba Baldeh, Juwara said he was the most corrupt Gambian in living
memory. "He was the head of the FFHC project and mismanaged the funds. When
he knew about plans to investigate him he ran away to Mali until he was
unseated as MP. I was assigned to investigate the matter when I was a
commissioner and I still have the reports. He alleged that when the PPP
government was overthrown in July 1994 I went to the party's bigwigs
including Buba himself to console them and he ran to the then vice chairman
of the then military junta, Sana Sabally and told him that I was going round
to mobilize PPP leaders to rebel against the coup. It led to my first arrest
in 1994.

In a brief statement, Omar Jallow, alias OJ called on youths to vote for the
coalition and reject President Jammeh and his money. He said youths, since
July 1994 find it very difficult to travel abroad in search of greener
pastures as countries without visa requirements for Gambians have introduce
the requirements due to the bad regime of the day.

In a short statement, the chairman of the coalition, Assan Musa Camara said
he was very disappointed by statement from certain opposition parties that
they were sidelined and not informed about the coalition. He categorically
condemned Sheriff Dibba and Halifa Sillah that they were not invited. "I
even discussed the issue with Hamat Bah before his trip abroad," he said and
called on Gambians to vote for the coalition to restore democracy in the
country.




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