Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – Deputy spokesperson of the ruling National People’s Party (NPP), Seedy Njie, has claimed that opposition leader Ousainu Darboe personally invited him to join the United Democratic Party (UDP) in 2017, but he declined the offer.
Njie, who also serves as Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, made the revelation in an interview with The Standard while responding to Darboe’s recent remarks on the breakdown of his relationship with President Adama Barrow.
Darboe, speaking to Deutsche Welle (DW), had argued that Barrow’s alliance with the Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC), the party of former president Yahya Jammeh, marked the “departing point” in their political split.
However, Njie dismissed the claim as “absolutely false,” insisting that Barrow and the UDP parted ways in 2019, well before the NPP’s alliance with the APRC in 2021.
“What is interesting is that in 2017, Mr. Darboe engaged a good number of APRC officials, including myself, to join the UDP. Those who accepted joined, but people like me refused,” Njie said.
He further alleged that several former APRC figures, including ministers, National Assembly members, and executive officials, were successfully recruited into the UDP, arguing that this undermines Darboe’s criticism of Barrow’s later alliance with the APRC.
According to Njie, the UDP’s split from Barrow predates not only the APRC alliance but also the formation of the NPP itself, making it “factually incorrect” to link the breakup to the coalition agreement.
Defending the NPP-APRC partnership, Njie said it was grounded in Barrow’s commitment to “inclusive governance” and driven by national interests such as peace, reconciliation, and stability, rather than “revenge, exclusion, and violence.”
He also accused Darboe of inconsistency, alleging that while publicly distancing himself from the APRC, he has engaged with political actors linked to Jammeh.
Rejects Voter Fraud Allegations
Njie also used the interview to reject allegations that the NPP is facilitating the registration of minors and foreigners in the ongoing voter registration exercise, describing the claims as “baseless and politically motivated.”
He said President Barrow has issued strict directives to party officials to comply with electoral laws and warned that any member found engaging in illegal registration activities would face immediate disciplinary action.
“The NPP does not condone, support, or participate in the registration of minors or foreigners,” Njie stated, challenging accusers to provide concrete evidence to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).
He, in turn, accused the UDP of profiling individuals at registration centers, claiming the opposition was overstepping its role by attempting to determine who qualifies as a Gambian voter.
“That is totally unacceptable,” Njie said, adding that such actions highlight why “genuine Gambians must never vote for them.”
Positions Himself as Mediator
Addressing criticism that he interfered in the registration process by intervening in disputes, Njie defended his actions as efforts to maintain peace.
He said his presence at registration centers helped de-escalate tensions and restore normal operations in several instances, including disputes involving members of different political parties.
Njie cited his role in facilitating the release of Hon. Yahya Menteng Sanyang from police custody as part of broader efforts to ensure calm during the exercise.
Despite mounting political tensions, Njie maintained that the NPP continues to urge its supporters to act within the law and avoid confrontation.
“We are not doing this because we are cowards, but as a matter of principle,” he said.
The Standard
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