By Adama Makasuba
Essa Faal, the former lead counsel of TRRC, who seeks to run for presidency in the December presidential race, has told his critics that politics is a competition of ideas but not a dog fight as he faced reporters in Kerr Sering.
The lawyer-turned politician also dismissed critics allegation that he is an Ahmadis, which he described as lies based on obvious falsehood, saying he is just a simple Muslim who doesn’t embrace any branches of Islam.
“Politics is a competition of ideas [but] it is not a dog fight in mud. I refused to be dragged in the mud. I would not allow anybody, for, I respect all of them and I respect their mothers and fathers, I will never utter lie or foul language against them. If they utter such language against me, I forgive them,” he told a group of reporters at his debut press conference.
He expressed disappointment about the claims by critics that he is an Ahmadis, describing the claims as an attack on him and his faith.
“Nowadays, they don’t have a response to all the issues we say. Their response is to attack me and attack my faith. They called me an Ahmadiyya, that’s what they say. I would not ordinarily respond to this profound and deep… It is an attack on my faith. But let me tell you in this country every individual has a right to belief in whatever they want to belief. That’s the law of this country [and] that’s what keeps us in peace,” lawyer Faal responded.
He continued: “But I am appalled and disappointed by the attack on my faith. I am a Muslim. There are many branches of Islam [and] I don’t embrace any ‘Tarika’ [branch] I am a simple Muslim. I have nothing against the Mourids and I have nothing against the Ahmadis. I am a peaceful and a tolerant person.”
