The claim by the ruling party came on the heels of criticisms and verbal protests against the government proposed commission of inquiry to investigate dealings of local government councils across the country, which some critics say is a premeditated witch-hunting exercise by the Barrow administration.
“May we begin with reconfirming the commitment of our party to the sacred ideals of peace, stability national reconciliation, unity, and the continued progress and development of our beloved country, the smiling coast of Africa,” Sulayman Camara, Secretary of communications, read a statement of his party in a presser held on Sunday.
“The Ministry of local government and lands has received several written complaints from councils about alleged financial and administrative irregularities involving various amounts from 10 to 30 million dalasi as well as critical staff matters.”
Mr Camara has also stated that The Gambia’s democratic space under current President Adama Barrow is boundless.
“In The Gambia under President Barrow, the democratic space is boundless and there is zero interference in the province of the Judiciary,” he said, adding that the zero-interference approach to the judiciary has been demonstrated on numerous occasions by the Barrow administration.
Making reference to recent electioneering comments by the UDP leader, Camara recounted: “The UDP leader also said if the results of the coming election are not tabulated properly, they would announce their own results. This is quite unfortunate, by trying to undermine the integrity of the independent electoral commission.”
He further opined that the UDP is under “a spent force and on life supporting machine”, which was “manifested in the last presidential elections”.
The NPP is a progressive people’s movement, a party of peace, hope and inclusiveness, where all opinions are respectfully counted; where politics of insults are shunned, he said, citing statesman Halifa Sallah as having once said “people who insult have nothing to offer”.
“His Excellency Adama Barrow will preserve the integrity, peace and harmony of this country, and he will not allow anyone to take the laws of the country into their own hands whenever decisions do not go their way,” he said.
He underscored further that the Gambian democracy has come of age, and “we have nurtured a mature and independent judiciary to which everyone can seek redress whenever they feel that their rights have been threatened.”
