Majmouatu Rawdatul Majaalis has called on Gambian Muslims to boycott the scheduled national congress of the Supreme Islamic Council scheduled 9th and 10th January, 2021.
They made this call on Thursday following the press release issued by the SIC on Wednesday to announce the upcoming 5th National Delegation Congress of the Council slated for 9 and 10 of January 2021, at the council headquarters in MDI Road Kanifing.
But the statement signed by the President Baba Abubakar Drammeh informed the population of Muslims in the country that “Majmouatu Rawdatul Majaalis, which was also founded by the Majlis sects and serves as their mouthpiece, calls on all Muslims of The Gambia, who are the bonafide stakeholders of the Council, to boycott all events hosted by the latter in the event it opaquely and illegitimately appoints a new president and a new executive bureau.
“Rawdatul Majaalis shall explore, on behalf of the Majlis sects and Imams, all avenues to ensure that the Gambian Muslim community is represented by a legitimate body instituted according to a legitimate and transparent process.
“It is therefore logical, fair and legitimate to follow the same procedure in the election of any new president of the Council and new members of the Executive Bureau instead of resorting to an archaic, medieval and undemocratic means of selecting/electing them.
“Since the Majlis sects and Imams are the founders of the Gambia Supreme Islamic Council, they are categorically stating that any selection/election process that fails to involve the Majlis sects and Imams of the country shall not be recognized by the latter. Consequently, it shall not grace or honour any event or initiative the Council conducts, “the statement added.
According to the statement, SIC spokesperson, Ibrahim Jarju, has also stated in a recent interview that a new president together with new members of the Executive Bureau will be appointed by a handful of delegates without the involvement of the Majlis Sects and Imams through-out the country.
It is worth indicating that the first president of the Council, the late Soriba Gassama, was appointed in 1992 by all the Majlis sects and Imams of The Gambia. However, his successor, the late Banding Drammeh, was instead elected by Majlis sects and Imams in the country, the group said.