By: Nyima Sillah
Mr Essa Mbaye Faal, an independent presidential candidate who has recently lost the December 4 presidential elections has dismissed the statement circulating in the social media that his appearance at Darboe’s house was to form coalition or alliance.
Speaking to members of press at his residence on Monday, Mr Faal said “my going to the house of Honorable Ousainou Darboe to meet him and Honorable Mamma Kandeh had no other purpose apart from discussing the outcome of the election results and what we felt we could do as political leaders.”
“I understand that some (people) have misinterpreted my appearance there as a coalition or as an alliance between or among these political leaders who were present there. Let me hasten to say that there was no alliance or coalition that was far from what we were thinking. This was a unique moment in which we had to discussed a particular matter of importance and urgency in the political landscape,” Faal stated.
According to him, people may have different opinions as to whether that was ill-advised or whether it was the right thing to do but he believes that was the right thing to do because as Gambians what they believe is respect for leaders and in view of the situation in which Honorable Ousainou Darboe is, he deems it necessary to go to his house for that meeting.
“If by respecting others especially our adults and respecting people who have served this country in very high capacities if by doing so people vilified me well, I accept responsibility for that and still will stick to respecting our seniors that is the way I was brought up that is the way I have always live my life and that is way I wish to continue to live my life respecting others should not be a crime,” Faal added.
He went further explained that the reason why he went to Ousainou’s house was because he believes that the election victory was procured through certain illegal means including what he called community vote buying. Adding that his conclusion was that the election results may be true but that result was obtained through means that are prohibited by Gambian law and that is why he participated in issuing that statement with other political leaders rejecting the election results.
He therefore assured public that Team Essa Faal would never contemplate doing anything that is unlawful or anything that would jeopardise the peace of this country. Adding that they are very decent and patriotic people who love the country above everything else.
