Batchilly urges political parties to put aside differences

Batchilly was speaking over the weekend during the Inter- Party Committee (IPC), inaugural quarterly breakfast meeting with the political leaders held at the Sir Dawda Kairaba International Conference Centre.

He reminded that elections come and go, but Gambia remains, further challenging all towork towards the development of the country.

Batchilly recalled that in 2016, if not for the help of God, the country would have plunged into chaos.

To this end, he urged all to nurture peace and unity especially in build up to the 2021 December elections.

“Gambia is a beautiful country, no one can develop this country unless we the Gambians.” he noted.

Fabakary Tombong Jatta, party leader of the Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC), said the MoU and presentation made by the co-chair Hon. Halifa Sallah, had almost embodied all that was required to ensure peaceful, transparent and credible elections if they all partner together as political parties with the IEC.

“One of the concerns I have observed and think is critical to ensuring that political parties come to an exact result during elections, is the IEC ensuring that those regulate regulations are carried out to the maximum level.”

FTJ observed that it is a requirement that counting is done on the spot and political parties have representatives where counting is done.

“It is also a requirement that those counting agents must have certified results signed by the IEC and parties’ representatives.Moreoften than not, most of the party’s representatives come back with piece of paper not signed.”

Also speaking, Mai Ahmad Fatty,leader of The Gambia Moral Congress (GMC), said there is no competition among them, but what they have is a contest of ideas and ‘if that prevails’, the Inter- Party Relationship amongst them and the MoU will be better understood.

“We must hold each other as brothers and sisters, as people belonging to the same country, sharing same destiny, moving forward in unity, harmony, in peace and in understanding to build a future for our country that is durable and that will be envy of other democracies.”