Diverse
groups of people yesterday called on President-elect Adama Barrow, at the
Kairaba Beach Hotel.
Speaking
on the visit, Ebrima Jagne, the imam of Bakoteh mosque in Borehole,
congratulated president-elect Barrow and his entire Coalition team for their
victory, and wished him a successful tenure in office.
Alhagie
Manneh of Busumbala also congratulated president-elect Barrow and his team and
wished them well.
He
added that politics is also a religious matter, because even at the time of the
Prophet Muhammed it was encouraged within the community of Muslims to contest
for various positions of their choice.
This, he said, is a very good thing to do, and
that was why the people also came out in their large numbers to vote for their
choice.
“We
the people have nothing else to give and have no other power, but our votes
which is our power, and we used that power and have made you our President,
because we believe in you after giving us the impression that you will lead us
in the right path.”
Manneh
added that they are very optimistic and eager for him to be sworn into office
on January 19.
Fatou
Faal of Busumbala also congratulated the president-elect and his team for the
victory, and wished them well in their endeavours.
She
added that one person cannot develop a country; hence it has to be done
collectively, and she believes with the Coalition government The Gambia would
be a great country.
“We
wanted to visit you earlier than this, but we couldn’t and we want to make it
clear to you, president-elect, that if you don’t work as expected we the people
will remove you and vote for others to lead us.”
However,
she continued, they are optimistic that it would be the reverse instead.
In
his response, President-elect Barrow thanked the various groups for their
support, and for sacrificing their time to pay a courtesy call on him.
He
said he and President Jammeh had learned one thing; that is, power belongs to
the people, as the people would always vote for their choice.
He
said from now onwards, Gambians would never be dictated to by their presidents;
but instead the people would dictate to the president on what should be done
and what should not be done in the country, because democracy would be
restored.
