By Adama Makasuba
Mamma Kandeh, leader of the Gambia Democratic Congress, has explained the reason for his request to meet President Adama Barrow amid calls for him to accept the presidential election defeat.
However, Kandeh told critics that his position in the 2021 presidential election remains as not free and fair.
“Those people saying maybe I accepted that President Barrow is the president of the country, I have never denied that President Barrow is not the president. But from here up to the next hundred years if I will live up to that if you ask me the credibility of the 2021 presidential election.
“I will tell you it was not fair. My position remains the same in the election and I have not seen anything in this world not wealth and position to compel me to say the election was free and fair. So, if my request to meet Barrow should compel me to say the election was free and fair, those words don’t hold water. And that is how some people think, and I hope Barrow will not think like that,” he said.
“I just want to react to the talks on social media that I requested to meet President Adama Barrow, but it seems Gambians don’t have what to do. For me to request to meet Adama Barrow is not something new. I have requested to meet with Adama Barrow several times and we do meet and discuss, and it doesn’t stop me from saying my views on the political arena and it doesn’t stop Adama Barrow from saying his view on the political arena,” he added.
“For me to request to meet President Adama Barrow doesn’t mean I want a job from him. It will be so cheap for me to get a job from him. Secondly, I cannot mobilise supporters of the Gambia Democratic Congress to join the National People’s Party. I am a Gambian and Barrow is a Gambian, and I have something to discuss with him and I see it as a right to request to meet him. So, should that be a topic for the Gambians? There are lots of things to talk about. Let’s stop petty talks,” he added.