Waa Juwara Finally Announces Readiness to Join APRC

In what could be seen as a confirmation of the speculation since Mr Lamin Waa Juwara's apparent rapprochement with the ruling APRC party last year as his appointment into the Interim Management Committee of Brikama Area Council rightly or wrongly suggested, Mr. Lamin Waa Juwara has finally remorselessly declared his preparedness to defect to the APRC party.

The leader of the opposition National Democratic Alliance Movement (NDAM) party made this declaration on Sunday at a mass political rally held in the village of Katamina, Niamina West, in the Central River Region as President Jammeh's Dialogue with the People tour progressed.

Lamin Waa Juwara, who has long held the reputation as one of the most virulent and potent critics of President Jammeh's regime, had also been the Propaganda Secretary of the main opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) for years before forming his NDAM party.

To say that his defection to the ruling APRC party was a work in progress might be an understatement, although it was since last year that he was selected by President Jammeh to be part of the Brikama Area Council Interim Management Committee few months prior to the Local Government elections.

Addressing the rally, Mr. Juwara disclosed that he had had a change of heart since the day he was nominated by the President to serve as a member of the Brikama Area Council Interim Management Committee which, he added, was more than honour to him.

According to Waa Juwara, he has been observing the way politics of this country has been prevailing and had become convinced that he has the same ideology with President Jammeh. Consequently, he said, he decided to join the APRC for the interest of the country.

"I went into politics for the interest of the country. And if I see anyone doing good for the country, I should join him for the development of our country," he said.

Mr. Juwara, a political scientist, expounded that there are two types of politics- politics of confrontation and that of co-operation. He indicated that he believes in politics of co-operation and that that is why he decided to join APRC.

Waa revealed that all the other political parties in the country believe in politics of confrontation, which prompted him to divorce with them.

For his part, President Jammeh maintained that he did not hate the opposition. He was however quick to add that what he would not accept is politics that would hinder the advancement of the country. "Whatever name they want to call me, they can. I don't mind anything. No white man can fool me. I am not one of those that they can fool," the President contended.

Speaking earlier, Yankuba Touray, Secretary of State for Fisheries and Water Resources, who is also the APRC National Mobiliser, indicated that Waa Juwara's defection would no doubt strengthen and consolidate the party.

Meanwhile, earlier on Saturday at a meeting in Brikamaba in the Central River Region, as many as 22 supposed former UDP supporters also announced their defection to the ruling APRC party.