Musa Sonko, deputy chairperson of Coalition 2016 has reacted angrily to the extension of President Adama Barrow’s term in office from 3-5 years by certain stakeholders of the Coalition 2016.
He disclosed that the meeting was not all-inclusive as far as Coalition 2016 is concern and thus not binding.
According to the NRP deputy leader, he was not informed of the said that approved the subsequent extension of the President’s mandate from 3 to 5 years.
He strongly criticized the move as misleading and not binding, revealing that all Coalition 2016 stakeholders who are alleged not in support of the extension were never inform of the meeting.
“I was not informed of the meeting that was held on Friday at State House to extend the mandate of the President Adama Barrow and it was very surprising to see some faces in that meeting that were not even aware of how the Coalition 2016 comes about. How can such people extend the mandate of the President when they were not even part of the discussions that led to the formation of Coalition 2016?” Coalition 2016 deputy chairperson asked.
According to him, he has earlier protested against the holding of a proposed meeting to extend the mandate of President Adama Barrow from 3 to 5 years, arguing that before any extension of the mandate of the president is to take place Gambians must be consulted by seeking their opinion on the matter.
Sonko alleged that Foumatta Jallow Tambajang, chairperson of Coalition 2016 and James Gomez, Fisheries Minister were the masterminds of the extension of President Adama Barrow’s mandate from 3-5 years without any heed to other views needed to be checked as far as the Coalition 2016 is concern.
“This extension of the President’s mandate by few Stakeholders of the Coalition 2016 is very misleading and to me is not binding because this is an issue that involves the Gambian people and any decision to be reached in this regard must be the views of the Gambian people but not few individuals running for their pockets,” Sonko pointed out.
Sonko calls on Chairperson Fatoumatta Jallow Tambajang and James Gomez, Fisheries Minister, to rescind their decision forthwith and call for an all-inclusive meeting that will take note of all the arguments that are to be raised. He said the Coalition has promised to rule the country for three years and changing such a decision must be all-inclusive but not otherwise.
On Friday, Coalition 2016 stakeholders held a meeting at State House where they agreed to extend the mandate of President Adama Barrow from 3 to 5 years, reasons they said is anchored on the need to complete the various reform processes that are ongoing in the country.
Fatoumata Jallow Tambajang, chairperson of Coalition 2016 said it is President Adama Barrow’s social legitimacy to complete the five years term as president of the country.
