Dec 27, 2022, 12:27 PM | Article By: Adama Tine

The leader of the United Democratic Party (UDP), A.N.M. Ousainu Darboe, has said that the recent arrest of the party’s Campaign Manager Momodou Sabally had been planned several months ago.

According to Mr. Darboe, some time ago, an audio was received from an NPP member who called for the silence of both Momodou Sabally and Ebrima Dibba.

“This is a scheme that had been conceived several months ago. The evil scheme that they conceived has now been hatched, and unfortunately, the judiciary has been used in this unholy act,” Mr. Darboe said at a press conference on Saturday.

However, he said, Sabally never said that he will take over the government, but that “UDP will lock the country, which in essence means the party will lock up the country so that President Barrow will find it uncomfortable to go to any part of the country.”

He continued: “If Sabally said we will lock this country, what is wrong with that? Does that tantamount to taking over this government?” he asked.

Darboe further told the press that his party will take the country in the upcoming Local Government Elections and that they will not be intimidated.

 “What is happening is that the judiciary and the police are conniving with Adama Barrow, because they know the local government elections are coming; they are losing grounds, so this is a way to intimidate people,” he said.

“We would never be intimidated. We would definitely take this country, and we are prepared to take the country. If you mean taking the country means taking government, well, that is your interpretation,” Darboe asserted.

“I am appealing to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of the Gambia and all NGOs that are concerned about human rights activities to join us to bring an end to this horrible state of affairs.”

“Sabally just happened to be the person in the centre of it but it could have been anyone of us. So I am appealing to all to join us because if the decadence we are gradually sliding into is not abated, this country will be sorry for itself,” Darboe urged. 

Thus, he continued that it would be disastrous to deny people their constitutional rights in this country.  “There cannot be a greater disaster than denying people their human rights which are guaranteed by the Constitution. In this season, one should behave in a way that should promote peace.”

Dwelling further, Darboe pointed out that the greatest threat to peace and stability is injustice. ”Injustice always provides a recipe for instability,” he added. 

He continued that the peace and stability of a country is the responsibility of every citizen and that the greater responsibility is on the government.  “If the government starts to misuse its powers and laws to suppress people’s fundamental freedoms, this could lead to something consequential for the country, with outcomes nobody wants to see for the nation,” he concluded.