Thousands of APRC party militants and supporters at the weekend gathered in Yalal Tankonjala in the North Bank Region, where the ruling party held a mass political rally in the build up to the forthcoming presidential election, scheduled for later this year.
The rally brought together a number of eminent personalities, including the upper echelons of the APRC party, such as Yankuba Colley, APRC National Mobiliser, Jatto Sillah, Minister of Forestry and Environment, Hon Fabakary Tombong Jatta, Majority Leader in the National Assembly, and Governor Edward Seckan, Governor of the North Bank, as well as retired chiefs Alhaji Sambujang Jagne and Tabora Manneh. It also saw the adoption of Hon Suku Singhateh of
Speaking at the rally, Yankuba Colley described the large turnout by the APRC militants as a clear manifestation of the strong support that the party has ahead of the polls.
He told the rally that the biggest difference between the ruling APRC party, and what he called the so-called opposition in the country, is that the APRC always meet with its electorate since it was elected into office.
"For the opposition, they only visit the communities when election is approaching. That is the time they talk about the plight of the poor people, because they are position seekers. For the APRC, we are development and action-oriented, and not position seekers," Colley added.
He noted that the adoption of Suku Singhateh by the community was based on politics and the love they have for the ruling APRC party.
According to the APRC National Mobiliser, it is only the APRC party that has visible structures even at the community level. "We do not push and pull for leadership," he stated.
Colley assured the rally that come the presidential election later this year, the ruling APRC would win by a landslide.
"In fact, it will be one of its kind in the history of elections in The Gambia," he said, adding that the APRC has the majority in NBR.
Hon. Jatto Sillah, the minister of Forestry and Environment, said the APRC party is the only party worthy of rallying behind it, simply because the leader of the party is dynamic, development-oriented, and has the country at heart. He urged Kawral Kambeng Kaffo to continue their support to President Yahya Jammeh, and the APRC party.
According to him, there cannot be any meaningful development in the community, if there is no unity and cooperation among the people, and he urged them to remain united in the interest of peace and development.
Majority Leader Hon. Fabakary Tombong Jatta told the rally that The Gambia is blessed with a visionary leader, whose foresight is well-recognized and appreciated.
"All that we need to do is to give him the maximum support, so that he will achieve his targets as enshrined in the Vision 2020 blueprint. Hon Jatta called on all and sundry to rally behind President Jammeh and the APRC party in the interest of national development.
Hon. Ablie Suku Singateh, the honorary father of Kawral Kambeng Kaffo in Yalal Tankonjala village, and also National Assembly member for
According to him, the political rally is the beginning of the APRC party's preparations for the forthcoming election.
"For us in the North Bank, our position remains the same. We will go all out and rally behind President Jammeh and the APRC for our much-needed development," Hon. Singhateh told the rally.
He predicted that come the Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Government elections, the people of the NBR will vote massively for the APRC, which he described as the choice of the people.
Hon. Singhateh, who is also the APRC Desk Officer for North Bank Region, said the people of his region were impressed by the level of development in their region over the last 14 years, and that they were poised to give the President a landslide victory that would be unprecedented in the history of the APRC party.
For the Regional Desk Officer, the determination and the energy shown by the people of North Bank to vote for President Jammeh in grand style, in previous elections, could be justified by the 'limitless development' that the President and his party had brought and continue to bring to their living rooms.
Edward Seckan, the Governor of the North Bank Region, described Hon. Suku Singateh as a hardworking person who has the APRC party at heart.
To him, it was not a surprise for kaffos to adopt Hon. Suku as a father, for the fact that he has the ability and capability to handle such positions. He urged the people of NBR to remain loyal to President Jammeh and the APRC party, "as it is the only party that can bring development to the doorsteps of every individual".
Mrs. Julie Jallow, the president of Kawral Kambeng Kaffo, told the rally that the purpose of choosing Hon. Suku as Honorary Father was based on his hard work, and the love he has for President Jammeh and the APRC party.
