By: Kemo Kanyi
The APP-Sobeyaa alliance has vowed to challenge in court what it refers to as “disenfranchisement of diaspora voters”.
The National Assembly on Tuesday voted against the participation of diaspora Gambians in national elections.
“APP-Sobeyaa will take this fight to the courts, where we are confident justice will prevail. But this is not just a legal battle but a national cause. We call on all Gambians, at home and abroad, to join us in this fight,” APP-Sobeyaa said in a statement issued to this medium on Wednesday.
The party stated that it unequivocally condemns the NPP Government and its allies in the National Assembly for their “shameless and undemocratic decision” to deny the Gambian diaspora their constitutional right to vote. The party added that “this act of disenfranchisement” is not just a betrayal, but a call to action.
“It’s the latest in a long list of betrayals by a government whose only concern is self-perpetuation in power, not the will of the people,” the statement said. It added: “The NPP has shown its true colours. They killed the 2020 Draft Constitution—a document crafted by the people for the people—because it threatened their grip on power. They have bribed parliamentarians to push self-entrenchment policies that serve only their corrupt interests. Now, they have stripped almost 10% of the Gambia’s population of their voting rights, a population that is the backbone of our economy, contributing billions of Dalasi in remittances, investments, and national development. Your role is crucial, and your rights are non-negotiable.”
The APP-SOBEYAA maintained that the current government has failed Gambians in every possible way.
“They have failed to fix the economy. They have failed to create jobs. They have failed to provide quality healthcare, education, and security. Now, they are dismantling our democracy piece by piece. We must not sit idly by while they mortgage our country’s future for their own selfish interests,” read the statement.
“Most importantly, we must unite to remove this inept and corrupt government from power in 2026. The Gambia belongs to the people, and together, we are a force to be reckoned with. Not to a few greedy politicians clinging to power at all costs.”
