By Haddy Touray
President Adama Barrow, has revealed that he was the one financing the United Democratic Party (UDP) during his 20- years of membership of the party. The president made this revelation at Ebo Town whilst addressing residents of Talinding, Jeshwang, Serekunda West, and Bakau Constituencies during his Meet the People Tour.
“During the 20 years I spent in the UDP, I was the one putting money into the party. Not once did UDP give me even a dime,” President Barrow stated.
He went further to say, “When UDP was in trouble, and all their leaders, including Ousainou Darboe, were arrested, they came to me, saying I was the only viable candidate. They followed me for a month, and I initially refused. But when I saw the dire situation—our people in prison and no one to fight for us—I agreed to contest because winning was the only way to bring change.”
Also added that after being chosen as the UDP presidential candidate, he funded a significant portion of the party’s campaign tour.
“When they selected me as their candidate, I insisted on testing myself with a tour across the country to assess the people’s concerns. We made a budget of 1.5 million dalasis, but when the party members abroad contributed, we only raised 210,000 dalasis. I paid the remaining 1.29 million myself. If I had sought the presidency for financial gain, I would not have taken that risk,” Barrow emphasized.
He went on to recount purchasing a car for the campaign after another party member, who was in prison at the time, refused to allow his vehicle to be used.
“They told me there were no vehicles for the campaign. One member in prison owned a car, but he refused to let it be used. Once again, I stepped in and bought a car for 700,000 dalasisfor the campaign,” he revealed.
President Barrow also says that he covered other campaign expenses of the party.
“The money we had couldn’t even pay the artists and drivers accompanying us. When we returned to Kombo, I withdrew 500,000 dalasis from the bank to settle those costs. Yet, people claim I became president to enrich myself. My fight was not for wealth but to rescue our people, including Darboe, from the darkness of prison,” President Barrow stated.