The race for the much talked about presidential election has started to gain momentum across the country, especially in the Central River Region, CRR, where the question as to who will emerge the eventual winner on 24th November engages the minds of people of the region each passing day.
While supporters of the ruling APRC party led by regional governor Ganyie Touray claim that the region is a no go area for the opposition, those from the opposition said the November polls will be a very good test, as Gambians are ready for change.
Sibity Jallow of the opposition National Reconciliation Party (NRP) also believes that, come 24th November, the ruling APRC party will have its biggest surprise, as the NRP is set to register a landslide victory unprecedented in the country’s political history.
This correspondent for The Point in CRR has been sounding opinions in the region, and interviewed Malang Saibo Camara, deputy Governor of the Central River Region, who asserted that the average Gambian voter is discouraged and disappointed by the opposition.
According to him, 90% of Gambians, especially those in his region, have thrown their weight behind the APRC party because, as he put it, the people have not seen any credibility in the opposition and will not listen to them.
“The APRC party is the choice of the people. The reasons are clear; and hopes are always high. Remember, the party’s leadership has done everything for Gambians. They have even gone beyond what they promised to Gambians,” he said, adding that Gambians should not do anything, other than vote massively for President Jammeh, come 24th November.
In his view, The Gambia has registered significant changes since the advent of the APRC regime.
“The challenge is not whether the APRC will win or not, because we are rest assured that victory is on our side. But the thing is about competition on which region will give the highest percentage of votes to the APRC,” deputy Governor Camara added.
Predicting that the ruling APRC will poll 95% of the votes, Camara noted that Gambians have disowned the opposition, and this will be manifested come 24th November.
“The APRC party will have no serious challenger and we are going to win by a landslide victory, because we have the support of the people. We behave credibly as a political party; we have our grassroots organs and everything is intact. The APRC party have a record to show to the people, and also have an agenda that Gambians can buy,” said Camara.
“We are all living witnesses to the unprecedented developments undertaken by the Jammeh administration, and the only way to express our appreciation is to rally behind him and vote massively for the APRC party in the forthcoming elections,” Camara stated, adding that Gambians are very proud of the achievements registered by the ruling APRC within a short period of time.
However, Sibity Jallow of the opposition National Reconciliation Party (NRP) holds a different view.
Jallow, who is the current NRP ward councillor for Kuntaur, told this reporter that his party is working tirelessly towards putting everything in place ahead of the polls.
He announced that his party will contest the November polls, and the parliamentary elections in March 2012 as well as the local government elections due in 2013.
“We have supporters in all parts of the region, and these are people who are very loyal to the NRP and are ready to bring about change,” he stated, adding that the NRP is a party with a difference, and it is the only party that can bring about change in this country.
