Bakary Bunja Darboe, a former Gambian Vice President has disclosed his plans to vying for the position of Secretary General and Party Leader of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) as the party goes to Congress on Friday 28th December, 2018.
He made this revelation at a presser on Thursday 27th December, 2018, where he also said that the party needs a strong and dynamic leader to lead it to its old glory of winning elections in The Gambia.
B.B Darboe as fondly called has held various positions during the reign of the first republic of Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara, serving as Ambassador, Vice President, Minister for Tourism, Education and Finance and Economic Affairs. He also served as a finance and economic affairs minister for seventy (70) days under the military junta of Yahya Jammeh, before he resigned from the position.
B.B was accused of involvement in the 11th November 1994 abortive military coup led by Lt. Basiru Barrow by the military, on which charges he denied and subsequently flew from the country into exile for safe heaven.
“As you all know, the PPP is going into congress on Friday, it’s a gathering that is meant to discuss the issues of the party and also to elect executive members who will stair the affairs of the party for the coming years.
This is a very important Congress as far as PPP is concerned because it’s the first Congress where our founding father and party leader Sir Dawda Jawara will formerly resigns due to age and delegates will be tasked with the opportunity to elect a new Secretary General and Party Leader, and I want to avail myself to serve in this position for the party”, Darboe discloses his plans to vie for the topmost PPP job.
According to him, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has been crawling on its knees for the past twenty five (25) years and the need to rejuvenate it becomes necessary, adding that delegates to the Congress must be cognizant of this fact and must elect a leader whom they feel can take this challenge.
“It’s no secret that I made myself available to opt for the Secretary General and Party Leader position for the PPP against the backdrop of rejuvenating the party to its old glory days. The party has been crawling on its knees for the past 25years and this is the time to put the house in order by electing a strong and dynamic leader who is ready to take this daunting challenge and I am ready to do this”, B.B Darboe disclosed at the presser.
He reminded the delegates to go by the greater interest of the party rather than subduing to the dictation of others who may call or advised them to take a line of voting, adding that the delegates should also understand that party leadership is a privilege that is due to people who can run it but not who will also serve as a caretaker.
Sources closed to this medium disclosed that Papa Njie, the former Independent KMC Mayoral Candidate and Alh. Yahya Ceesay former minister of Lands and Local Government are into the ring to fight for the new leadership position of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) but the veteran politician said he is not worried about who vie for the position, adding that what is important is the elections to be conducted in a transparent manner that are in line with best practices.
“I am ready to work with anyone who is luck to grab this top job of the PPP based on one thing that is anyone elected must have passed through the best practices of the election to lead the party. I belief the election will be conducted free and fairly for the interest and progress of the party”, Darboe stressed.
He called on all delegates to comport themselves before, during and after the Congress in a bit to attract supporters as well as rebuilding the party to its old days glory when it sweeps elections in the length and breadth of the country until the fateful Friday of July, 1994; when the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council dislodged the party from power through military Coup’s d ‘tat.
Author: Kebba Ansu Manneh