"We have tested our candidate and gave him our votes, for the first time, we did it for the second time and we are going to do it again," Bah said.
He claimed that in 50 years under former Presidents Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara and Yahya Jammeh, only 40 communities were electrified in the North Bank, while President Adama Barrow electrified 204 villages in 10 years.
Bah then accused the UDP of targeting specific ethnic groups during the recent supplementary voter registration.
"There are a lot of tribes in the country. But only two tribes were targeted by the UDP, these two are Wolof and Fula," he alleged.
"The only people's documents UDP queries are either Wolof or Fula. Go and check with all the revising courts in the country, 90% of the people UDP objects to, are either Wolof or Fula."
He added: "Do they forget about the Saloum Empire? Do they forget about the Fulladu Empire? Do they forget about the Niani Empire? If you give UDP your votes, you will all pack your stuff and leave the country."
At the same rally, Bah also declared that "Gambia will never be Lebanon" and that "no foreigner will run this country," remarks widely seen as targeting a candidate whose ancestry has become a campaign talking point.
Bah further claimed a UDP government would sack civil servants and replace them with Gambians in the diaspora.
UDP response
In a statement on September 27, the UDP said Bah's remarks were divisive rhetoric intended to distract from governance issues.
"The UDP is concerned by remarks attributed to Minister Hamat Bah... where he reportedly suggested that 'foreigners from Lebanon' would never rule The Gambia, accused the UDP of 'tribal cleansing,' and alleged that a UDP government would remove civil servants," the party said.
"Gambians deserve a debate centred on governance, policies and performance, not ethnicity, ancestry, nationality or fear."
The UDP also questioned Bah's record as former Tourism Minister, citing parliamentary scrutiny of eco-lodge projects awarded to Lerr Group, initially reported at D97 million and later revised to D118.57 million, with D72.73 million paid while projects remain incomplete.
UNITE condemns remarks
UNITE Party also condemned Bah's comments, calling them "a dangerous descent into ethnic politics that must not be tolerated."
"This is becoming the trademark of the NPP government, and it is very dangerous for our democracy and national cohesion. It is even more serious coming from a state minister," UNITE said.
The party said while Bah did not name any candidate, "we all understand who he is targeting," adding that the rhetoric follows a leaked audio attributed to Seedy Njie allegedly boasting about blocking appointments for Mandinkas.
"This rhetoric is not only dangerous and hurtful but is a deliberate attempt to distract from poverty, crime, electricity, financial mismanagement, the weakening of our currency, and governance failures," UNITE said.
"The Gambia belongs to all Gambians, regardless of their ethnic background or where their great-grandparents came from... No Gambian should have to prove that they are Gambian enough because of the ethnic origin of their great-grandparents."
UNITE urged President Barrow to publicly condemn the remarks, warning that silence "will be interpreted as endorsement."
