By: Haddy Touray
US-based Gambian political commentator Basamba NjolDrammeh has opined that former TRRC lead counsel Essa Faalshould be the last person to castigate President Adama Barrow over his death remarks against Lawyer Ousainou Darboe because he “woefully” failed in summoning former President Yahya Jammeh to the TRRC to answer a whole lot of questions around a myriad of human rights violations under Jammeh’swatch.
Mr. Drammeh called on Gambians to be wary of political opportunists and surrogates, who he maintained, were bent on twisting Mr. Barrow’s comment at the inauguration of NPP’s regional bureau in Brikama, for their own political interest.
According to him, Mr. Faal deliberately sidelined the issue of the appearance of Jammeh before the truth commission despite parading religious leaders and some elderly statesmen at the commission. He hinted that the lead counsel´s refusal to bring Jammeh before the commission was connected to the former President’s knowledge of his previous work in defending rights violators which, he opined, Mr. Faal wouldn’t be comfortable to see them publicly revealed.
“It’s unfortunate that someone like Essa Faal will have something to say that the Gambian people can listen to regarding the duel between President Barrow and Lawyer OusainouDarboe. This is the same Essa Faal who invited elderly statesmen and religious leaders and blasted them but yet failed to muster the courage to invite Yahya Jammeh to the commission,” argued Mr. Drammeh. He added: “To me, Essa Mbye Faal [has]nothing to say to the Gambian people after wasting their monies on a commission that failed to deliver. Gambians are disappointed with Essa Faal for failing to [bring] Jammeh before the commission based on his political dreams knowing that these political dreams will be shattered once Jammeh appears before him.”
The political commentator and current affairs analyst further called on the erstwhile TRRC lead counsel to do justice to himself and “honorably” keep quiet, noting that because of his fear that Jammeh will expose his “dubious” dealings in defending violators of human rights across the world that will be exposed to the Gambian people, he failed to invite him to testify at the TRRC commission.
“To those twisting the statement of the President to suit their own goods, I want to remind you that the President is a politician by virtue of his role and position and has all rights to make political statements. However, one thing we should all know is that the President is one of the most peaceful President in the world who has no intention to harm anyone of his opponents in the country as depicted by his reluctance to arrest or send into exile any of his opponents since he came to power,” Mr.Drammeh highlighted.
“Let us all be critical minded to see whether President Barrow will make such a statement at the Bantaba if he truly intends to harm Lawyer Ousainou Darboe. President Barrow has no intention to harm Lawyer Darboe or any other Gambian as we can all attest he has never prosecuted his political opponents or critics since he came to power. So, to suggest that President Adama Barrow wants to harm Lawyer Darboe is false,” he added.
Mr. Drammeh observed that President Adama Barrow’s statement was merely portraying the political demise of Darboe not the contrary as suggested, adding that after 2025, the long-standing opposition politician will no longer be a political asset and will mark the end of his political life as pronounced by the President.
“By 2031, Ousainou Darboe will be more than 80 years and by this time he is politically dead because by that time he will be politically insignificant. By this time, Ousainou Darboe will not have the physical and mental capabilities to lead UDP or the country. This is the political death President Adama Barrow disclosed at the Brikama Bureau opening not otherwise,” Drammeh further argued.
He opined that the UDP leader will be politically dead by 2025 and will be buried by 2031.
“This is what the President meant by his statement. I believe majority of Gambians knows better that President AdamaBarrow wishes no harm to anyone in this country which is why since he came to power, he hasn’t harmed any one opponent or critic yet,” he pointed out.
Mr. Drammeh finally called for unity among Gambians, irrespective of political affiliations and prayed for the President’s longevity and good health. He also wished the same for Darboe.