By Adama Makasuba
Gambia Democratic Party has reacted to defection of lawmaker from party to President Adama Barrow’s National People’s Party as not a surprise, describing him as a one-term MP.
Salifu Jawo, MP for Jokadu last week announced that he has switched allegiance from his former party (GDC) to President Barrow’s National People’s Party. He explained reasons for his defection that “I have switched allegiance from GDC to NPP. It all started when I voted ‘YES’ to support the passing of the local government amendment Bill which gives councils independence from party control. That’s where my problem started with my party because the party wanted me to vote ‘NO.’ But I explained that Section 91(d) provides for the electorate to recall National Assembly members and we removed it. We are independent from our parties and that’s why UDP could expel 8 members without them losing their seats. So, the Councils too should get similar protection; that is why I voted ‘YES’ for the Local Government amendment Bill.
Reacting to his decision, GDC youth president, Momodou MC Cham, said Mr Jawo’s defection from the party doesn’t come as a surprise saying he has been showing hanky-panky signs by “refusing to attend the party’s meetings and other activities.”
His (Salifu Jawo) defection doesn’t shake GDC an inch because he can’t influence anyone in Jokadu to defect, he said.
“He was only a one-term MP because we have been receiving lots of complaints about him from the people he is representing in parliament. They said he is not representing GDC up to par and that has let them down,” Mr Cham added.
He also said that “So, if he comes today and say he is leaving GDC for the interest of the country that sounds false because he is only following the interest of President Barrow but not the nation’s interest.”
