The caretaker leader of the opposition United Democratic Party has dispelled rumours milling in town that Yahya Jammeh has nailed the coffin on the UDP. Despite hiccups and blights, Mariam Secka said the main opposition party remains strong and that its members are highly spirited.
“Whilst we were busy on the court cases and to see that our people are free from illegal state abduction, the APRC government has also been busy bullying and intimidating our supporters in different parts of the country so that they can abandon the UDP. Some people have also used that as an opportunity going around the country telling people that the UDP is dead; that they should abandon the UDP and many other unfounded stories. This has created confusion across the country among our supporters we are told,” Mrs Secka told Brikama weekend rally, brushing aside misinformation that the UDP leadership has thrown in the towel. “There is no iota of truth in that.”
She said her party has been going through serious challenges since Ebrima Solo Sandeng, an executive member of the UDP was beaten to death and the arrest, detention and prosecution of the UDP leadership and supporters. “Notwithstanding the difficult situation the UDP is going through,” Mariam Secka added, “our party leader and Secretary General, Alhagie Lawyer Ousainou Numukunda Darboe, has directed that we continue the grass root mobilization and recruitment of new members especially youths; knock from door to door, house to house, talk to everyone; Energize every party member to make sure we move on to make this party the greatest once again.”
Mrs. Secka had earlier asked a minute silence to be observed in memory of Mr. Sandeng, a man who had given his very best to his country and her people. Mariam was enticed by what she called “special love and respect Gambians, particularly the Darboe clan, have accorded to Lawyer Darboe. “The Darboe clan has taught me a lot when it comes to standing tall with your relative. From now on, I am proud to be called Mariam Darboe,” she said, ordering President Yahya to release all political detainees unconditionally.
Ends
I feel vindicated by this news. I really do, because not long ago, when I expressed the view that the UDP should “move on” (from the trial) and continue to seek the democratic political change for which it was established, I was accused of all things..
Today, the UDP has itself stated that whilst they were busy and preoccupied with the court case, a lot of things were happening that were designed to undermine its support base. You don’t have to be a political analyst to see that this is exactly the sort of outcome UDP’s prolonged absence from the “playing field” will lead to..Only short sighted people could have failed to see this..
The UDP therefore, with the blessing of its leader, has done the right thing to “move on” from the trial, resume its political activities and take its rightful place in the struggle for democratic change, and that is why I feel vindicated…
I wonder though, why the same people have suddenly gone quiet on this latest development, when they had vociferously objected to the holding of any political activities by other parties, particularly PDOIS, whilst this crisis was ongoing..Have they all suddenly run “dry” of words….? Just wondered….!!!
Bax , you are not vindicated in any where because everyone knows udp will always continue to put pressure on dictatorial regime to release its leadership and members . Udp meeting is to galvanize its supporters about the democratic process and why it is urgent to remove dictatorship through election . You have no regard for this trial because you have considered peaceful protest as distraction and a threat to national security . Your call for udp to move on was meant as malicious campaign to deviate our attention from the safety and immediate release of all peaceful protesters . Please do not give unnecessary credit to yourself. You are on the record here castigating peaceful protesters . Thank you .
“malicious campaign….to divert…..attention from the safety and immediate release of all peaceful protesters.. .!!!!” Come on Max, you can’t be serious…! Now that the UDP has resumed their rallies, are you saying that their attention has deviated…? My “campaign” was for the UDP to “move on” and resume its political activities to seek democratic political change…
I have no problem with your position that the “Udp meeting is to galvanize its supporters about the democratic process and why it is urgent to remove dictatorship through election”, except that it exposes you for the hypocrite that you are, and there is no better way to show this than to borrow a quotation from Kamalo, as thus :
@Kamalo : ” To accuse me of double standards mean given the same situation, and all things being equal, I favor the same situation in one circumstance and disfavor the same situation in another circumstance. I give preference to one and denounce the other.” (end)
Haven’t you denounced all political activities of PDOIS during this crisis…? Are you not praising the political activity of the UDP now, whist the same circumstance still prevails…? You are guilty of double standards and therefore, you are a hypocrite.
@Bax, you are the most evasive hypocrite read by me in this forums. Why on earth would you even urge the UDP as to what they should be doing after the killing of one of it’s executive members and the incarceration of its leader, Ousainou Darboe and the rest of his executive members? You think the PDOIS can’t be push around by any other party to join a constitutional protest but they can give advice to other political parties as to what they should be doing when the whole party’s leadership are unconstitutionally incarcerated. On top of your hypocrisy, I would say I have not seen an arrogant idiot like you in the forums.
You don’t deserve a response….and make a bit of effort to know the difference between PDOIS and Bax…If you have queries about PDOIS advice, you should address that to PDOIS..I don’t know what is clouding your mind but it seems serious..