By Sulayman Waan
Omar Amadou Jallow alias OJ has called for the return of People’s Progressive Party assets froze by the then Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council (AFPRC), military junta in 1994 under Ex-President Yahya Jammeh to be returned to the party.
Mr. Jallow made the request at a historical national congress of PPP held at the YMCA, describing the frozen assets as unlawful.
On July 22, 1994; five military men seized power from Ex-President Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara led by the decade’s long ruler Yahya Jammeh.
However, OJ called on the Barrow-led administration to help to return the belongings, adding that the said properties include buildings and vehicles.
“Our party was banned following the military coup d’état in 1994, and this act was followed by the confiscation of the PPP properties without due process of the law. In addition the junta embarked on systematic campaign of lies in an attempt to vilify our party and discredit it,” he said.
He added that: “The party’s assets seized include building, vehicles and among other relevant properties without the due process of the law. The party’s archives were vandalized and also burnt.”
Mr. Jallow, who served as the minister of Agriculture under both President Barrow and Ex-President Jawara described the action of the AFPRC as ‘lawlessness of criminals that posed as rulers for a decent country like The Gambia.
“I had addressed a letter to President Adama Barrow seeking for the immediate return of the party’s properties as well as the properties of other individuals in the party, “he alleged.
He said that the then regime of Ex-President Jammeh threatened them (the political leaders in the country) not to speak at any political rally or else they would go to prison, noting that “that was the reason why I went to prison on the accounts of 22 times.
“The present Immigration Department at Leman Street in Banjul, the present Independent Electoral Commission office and the Brikama APRC Green Youth Bureau all belong to PPP,” OJ affirmed.