“UDP has no sponsored independent candidate”

Busumbala Constituency National Assembly Member Saikouba Jarju has said at a press conference with journalists that the United Democratic Party (UDP) as a political party has no sponsored independent candidate in Busumbala constituency.

Facing the press at the UDP Political Bureau in Lamin on Sunday to clarify claims that defeated candidate during the party’s primaries, Borry Ceesay will be contesting as a UDP independent candidate in the forthcoming election.

Jarju said he stood by the certified and nominated candidate by the party because there is no UDP independent candidate in Banjulinding Ward.  “Those going round claiming that there is a UDP independent candidate, I want to clear their minds that there is no UDP independent candidate”, he said.

According to him, as party executives and true supporters within the constituency, they will never support any independent candidate but will campaign for Abie Bangura and no other person else within the ward.

He said anyone claiming that he is a UDP independent candidate is not supporting the addenda of the party but himself.

He pointed out that the Constitution teaches that no political party should be formed or a candidate should vie for election in the name of religion, tribe, sector, region or village but Jarju said Ceesay and his followers are claiming that it is Busubala that decided his candidature.

“UDP only have two candidates that will contest within Busumbala constituency who are Mbemba Touray for Lamin Ward and Abie Bangura for Banjulanding Ward”, he said, while calling on UDP supporters to vote for Abie Bangura and not Borry Ceesay.

He said if Ceesay were loyal to the party, there is no reason for him to contest as an independent candidate, saying he is not loyal to UDP and was supporting the party for his own interest.

Jarju said Ceesay has his own symbol and flag attached to UDP flag and registered with IEC as an independent candidate and he has been going on a house to house meeting with people telling them that he is contesting as UDP independent.

Alagie Kanyi, UDP Busumbala Constituency propaganda secretary explained that 33 delegates were selected from Lamin and Banjulanding wards each during the primary election in which Borry Ceesay lost to Abie Bangura.

He said prior to the primaries, they asked Borry and Abie to negotiate for one of them to give chance to the other but they decided they want to go for primaries after consulting between themselves. “During the process, Abie Bangura was victorious and Borry Ceesay accepted defeat and congratulated her and promised to work with her but two days later, Mr. Ceesay and his gang lodged a complaint that the election was not fair.”