Hon Madi Ceesay, National Assembly Member for Serekunda West, has said that the United Democratic Party Secretary General and Party Leader, Ousainou Darboe cannot speak for the party.
Hon. Ceesay made these remarks on Star TV talk show with Malick Jones when he was asked about the party leader’s threat to sue anyone who wants to force President Barrow to honour the coalition 3 years agreement to step down.
The former Vice President, Ousainou Darboe who was then Foreign Affairs Minister made these remarks at a joint press conference held at the UDP Bureau in Manjai 2017. The party has not since officially disassociate itself from the utterances of the party leader after the press conference until recently, the likes of Hon Madi Ceesay start to openly challenge the utterances of their party leader.
“I do not subscribe to what Darboe [Ousainou Darboe] said about the constitutional 5 years mandate,” Hon Madi Ceesay said. “His statements were his own and not the party,” he added.
The Serrekunda West MP said the UDP leader’s decision is different from the decision of the party which he describes as the beauty of democracy.
Honourable Ceesay, a journalist turned politician accuses President Adama Barrow of betrayal and political deception for failing to honour the coalition 3 years agreement and stick to his manifesto. He said that President Barrow should call for a national consultative conference to discuss about the way forward.
“I am not a member of the ‘3 years Jotna’ protesters but I endorse and share their views,” Hon Ceesay remarks.
The Serrekunda West MP said the state should be responsible for what happened to the ‘3 years Jotna’ protesters who are planning to take to the streets demanding the President to step down in December. It was then put to him that ‘3 years Jotna’ is not legally binding as the President has a constitutional mandate of 5 years term which he agrees but said the President must honour his campaign promises.
The TV anchor reminds him of the position of the EU Ambassador, Attila Lajos who said the ‘3 years Jotna’ has rights to peaceful protest but the President also has a constitutional mandate of 5 year’s term. He said the EU Ambassador should stay away from the country’s domestic politics.
Meanwhile, he agrees with the TV anchor that the ‘3 years Jotna’ will have serious impact on the tourism industry which is one of the pillars of the country’s economy.