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PPP congress marred with violence, alleged fraud

Mar 1, 2021, 11:53 AM | Article By: Yusupha Jobe

Riot police had to intervene as the congress of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) over the weekend got marred with violence. 

The congress, which was held at Brikama in the Central River Region, elected Kebba Jallow as new secretary general and leader of the PPP following Touma Njie’s withdrawal.

She has, however, vowed to challenge the election results of the congress, which she described as “fraudulent.”

The congress witnessed the convergence of delegates from all constituencies across the country to vote in their candidates for the position of secretary general, party leader and deputy party leader for the period of four years.

Touma Njie, who later boycotted the election with Pa Ousainou Saho as her running mate, alleged irregularities during the congress.

She  preached that a free and transparent electoral process cannot be attained without giving due regard to the dictates of the party’s constitution, while alleging series of congressional electoral malpractices, which she claimed had led to the intentional removal of her supporters as delegates including other electoral misconducts. 

She alleged that the intentional deletions of names of delegates from Foni Bintang, Jarra Cental and Nianija, who she said support her, totally violated the constitution of the party.

According to her, the names of delegates were removed at the congress ground from the original voter registration list and replaced them with different names.

The Banjul lawmaker is pointing fingers at her opponent camp for what she called “electoral process manipulations.”

“When I arrived before the congress day, most of the delegates I met complained that they have not been taken care of because they said they are for Touma Njie, so I had to go out and get food and accommodation for them.”

“And if you look at the master voter registration list which is totally being changed and the delegates who supposed to vote were removed from the list because they know that I will win the elections.”

“Secondly what is more concern to me is the absence of the financial statement to the delegates; because in any congress, if the financial statement is not read to the delegates, then there is no congress.”

“We have to be transparent as a party and avoid fraudulent manners; because if you are given a government as a party to run it you will do it fraudulently. So I am not a fraudulent person. I am transparent and want things to be done in a right way.”  

“So I am not going to accept any outcome of the election results and let me inform you that I will challenge it until my last breath because I will not allow PPP to be sold or die,” she vowed.