In what appears to be a defining message to the Gambian populace, Hon. Sidia Jatta, National Assembly member for Wuli West constituency, has categorically stated that even though he is in the opposition, he is not an opportunistic opposition functionary.
This contention made by Hon. Jatta, who also doubles as an executive member of the opposition National Alliance for Democracy and Development (NADD), came in the wake of a recent workshop in which he (Hon. Jatta) was asked to speak on behalf of the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly. The workshop in question was organised by the National Assembly for the regional Governors, National Assembly Members and Chiefs from around The Gambia.
This, according to the Wuli West parliamentarian, was not because he is an opposition member but rather because he was given the responsibility based on the fact that he was a participant and also competent to accomplish the task. "As far as I am concerned, I am never given an assignment because am an opposition member. I am always given assignments because I believe the person giving me the task thinks that I can do it and I want that to be understood" he said, adding that he, as an opposition member, is a stake holder in nation-building.
For the apparently agitated Hon. Jatta, he did not come to participate in politics because he was bent on being an opposition member. "I resigned my position when things were tough in this country and I did not join a political party. I created my party because I was convinced that there is need for transformation, for this country to be liberated and for the people of this country to live in prosperity," he elucidated.
In Hon. Sidia Jatta's view, nobody should see him as an enemy of this republic. "I am not an enemy of anybody and I have no grudge against anybody but I have a grudge and am against any body who has a grudge against this country.
"I can lay my life and fight anybody who has any grudge against this country. I want to make it categorically clear and I want people to stop incriminating", he noted.
The NADD bigwig went further to emphasise that he was destined to be thus and nothing could stop him from being what he is. "I am here to serve the people of The Gambia at any cost," he said.
In conclusion he said, "We are legislators and as legislators we must be as objective as possible. We must also know that what we say is very important. What we say can make and can destroy."
