“On Friday 22nd July 1994, a group of Gambian soldiers led by 29-year-old Lieutenant Yahya Jammeh seized power in a bloodless coup d’état, ousting Dawda Kairaba Jawara, who had been president of the Republic of The Gambia since its independence in 1970,” it states in a press release signed by Mr Yaya Tamba, the faction’s interim chair and party leader.
The release further states: “Since then, it has been the tradition of the APRC to annually celebrate this day to reflect on the life and achievements of this great leader, H.E. Sheikh Prof. Dr Alhagie Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh, the former president of the Republic of The Gambia and APRC party leader.
“H.E. Sheikh Prof. Dr Alhagie Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh has given his blessings and approval for the APRC National Executive Committee (NEC) to organize the said events at Kanilai from Friday the 21st to Saturday 22nd July 2023.”
The faction, otherwise known as the APRC Babili Mansa, states that as part of the 2023 commemorations of the day, former president Yahya Jammeh, currently exiled in Equatorial Guinea, has directed that the day “be celebrated in a grand style” and marked by an Islamic conference on Friday 21 July.
For the second day, it says that Jammeh has called for farm work in the morning, and a mega ‘Back to the Land Fundraising’ event in the evening of Saturday 22 July 2023.
The release continues: “Funds realised from the fundraising event will be used to finance the 2023 farming activities as part of the ‘Grow What You Eat and Eat What You Grow’ philosophy.
“In view of this coupled with others, I write to officially and formally inform and solicit for the support of all Gambians, APRC supporters, believers in the ‘Back to the Land’ call and well-wishers to help finance and enhance the successful implementation of the said event.”
