By Musa S. Sheriff
Disgruntle executive member of the National Reconciliation Party (NRP) has stressed that any attempt to mortgage the party to President Adama Barrow will fail.
Credible source closed to the NRP leadership has revealed the deep division among the rank and files of the party amidst allegations that the party leader Hamat N.K Bah and five National Assembly Members met the Gambian leader recently in a bid to agree in terms which will allow Hamat N K Bah to relinquish the party’s leadership to president Barrow.
The sources also accused Hamat N.K Bah and his five National Assembly Members for attempting to mortgage NRP to President Adama Barrow, alleging that recently the Party Leader and his assembly members received various gifts from the Gambian leader including unspecified amount of money as well as Tobaski Rams.
“It is true that we are in turmoil as a result of President Barrow’s attempt to hijack our party. We met over the issue couples of times but we could not agree because we don’t know on what terms and conditions did they (Hamat Bah and his five assembly members) agreed with Barrow,” The anonymous executive member of NRP disclosed.
He alleged that Hamat Bah and five of his National Assembly Members met with President Barrow and discussed ways and means for Hamat Bah to relinquish his leadership roles to President Barrow without informing the executives. According to the source this was brought to the attention of the executive members just two days to the Tobaski prayers.
“We (executive members) were called by Pa Bajinka (executive secretary of NRP) for a meeting two days before the Tobaski prayers. It was during this meeting that Samba Jallow disclosed to us that they (five National Assembly Members and Party Leader Hamat Bah) have met President Barrow and discussed with him to take over the party’s leadership from Hamat Bah. But we flatly deny any attempt to mortgage the party to President Barrow at any given price,” the source pointed out.
He went further to accuse the party leader and his assembly members for receiving unspecified amount of monies and gifts from President Barrow, while alleging that part of the money were used to buy taxis and vehicles for some long serving members of the party including the personal driver of Hamat Bah and his closest buddy, Mod Samba of Panchang Village in Upper Saloum District.
According to him, the Minority Leader of the National Assembly and member for Niamina Dankunku, Samba Jallow has been in the forefront of the negotiations. He further alleged that the honorable member has recently received hand-outs from President Barrow that he used to buy Tobaski Rams for some executive members of the party as well as given out some monies to other in a bid to lure them into Barrow’s trap.
“I can vividly disclosed to you that this attempt to mortgage our party to President Barrow is been led by Hon. Samba Jallow. Two days before the prayers he presented Rams to some executive members and (he alleged) they are from President Adama Barrow in a bid to corrupt the executive but this attempt failed when we held a meeting with him,” the source stated.
According to him, Hamat made his position clear during their meeting with President Barrow that he can no longer sponsor the party as well as bring back some of his party militants who had cross-carpet to Gambia Democratic Congress (GDC) back to the NRP and it will be ideal if they (Assembly Members) can endorse Barrow to lead the party.
Meanwhile, the source said “We will defy any attempt by Hamat and the five NAMs to make President Barrow to lead this party because we are ready to impeach Hamat himself if he persists to go ahead with the move. This party doesn’t belong to Hamat Bah neither the Minority Leader nor the Assembly Members and they have no rights to decide who will lead the party that mandate can only be effected by the congress.”