By Sulayman Waan
The National Assembly member for Niamina East constituency has accused officials of President Adama Barrow’s National People’s Party (NPP) of holding meeting with chiefs and village heads in Central River Region ahead of the Niamina West parliamentary by-election.
Omar Ceesay said: “The argy-bargied confusion, pandemonium and ridicule under which they are going through within the party currently warranted the NPP authorities to summon all the Alkalos and chief of the said constituency to the governor’s office at Janjanbureh to help select/elect a candidate that could stand against the GDC as well as to campaign for the NPP,” Hon. Omar Ceesay posted on his face book timeline.
“These are individuals who are not supposed to participate in party politics or are supposed to be completely neutral in election campaigns but only a desperate political party would target and use them illegally. But let it be clear that it’s not going to work,” the lawmaker further posted.
“Can someone remind the President how soon he has forgotten about his advice to Alkalos and chiefs during the 2016 Presidential campaign to desist from campaigning and to refuse to be used by the former president Yahya Jammeh for political purposes,” he added.
He said despite the expenditure and promises President Barrow made in Niamina West district the electorate of that constituency has already decided to replace late Hon. Sowe with another GDC candidate.
Abba Sheriff Sanyang, governor of the Central River Region (CRR) denied the allegation. He said no alkalo (village head) of any village in Niamina District or chief of the aforementioned district have visited his office for selection of NPP candidate ahead of the Niamina West by-election.
“I have seen many people in the governor’s premises when I was busy but no one talks to meet about such meeting,” he said.
Nomination of candidates for the Niamina West forthcoming by-election will take place on 24 October 2020 at the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) headquarters in Janjanbureh that will show political parties nominating candidates.
