Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, THE GAMBIA) – Minister of Works and Infrastructure Ebrima Sillah has accused the opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) of seeking to provoke violence ahead of the December 5 presidential election, claiming the party knows it cannot defeat President Adama Barrow at the polls.
Sillah made the allegations in Bijilo while dismissing social media claims that he, National Assembly Member Seedy Njie and senior government official Demba Sabally visited the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) at night to prevent the release of the voters’ register requested by the UDP.
“If the UDP is afraid of contesting the elections against us, let them say so. We know what they are planning in this country. They want to ignite violence because they know President Adama Barrow has already defeated them,” Sillah said.
He said the government was prepared to respond to whichever course the opposition chose.
“Whatever they want to sell in this country, if it is violence, we will buy it from them. If they want to sell peace, we will also buy peace from them,” he said.
The social media claims alleged that Sillah, Njie and Sabally visited the IEC on Monday night to prevent the Commission from releasing the voters’ register to the UDP.
Sillah strongly denied the allegations, saying he was outside The Gambia at the time.
“I want to make it clear that I was not even in The Gambia last Monday. I had travelled on Sunday,” he said.
The minister accused individuals in the diaspora whom he linked to the UDP of spreading false information and attempting to damage his reputation.
He said he initially chose not to respond to the allegations but later decided to address them after an elder who regularly uses TikTok contacted him and urged him to clear his name.
Sillah also accused the UDP of attempting to create a dispute between the opposition and the electoral commission, warning against what he described as efforts to provoke unrest ahead of the election.
Recalling remarks he made in 2025, Sillah reiterated his warning to opposition supporters.
“When they come out in the morning, we will give them breakfast. In the afternoon, we will give them lunch, and at night, we will give them dinner,” he said.
He urged supporters of the ruling National People’s Party (NPP) to remain firm, insisting that the UDP would not be allowed to take the country backwards.
Sillah Appeals To Darboe
Turning to UDP leader Ousainou Darboe, Sillah referred to their shared political history dating back to 1997 and called on the opposition leader to restrain individuals speaking on behalf of the party.
“He and I have been involved in politics since 1997. We stood by him and supported him. I am asking him to tell those who speak on his behalf to keep quiet. They are insulting our elders, our President and his ministers. He should tell them to stop,” Sillah said.
He argued that Darboe understood the efforts made to restore political stability in 2016 and should therefore intervene to discourage what he described as excessive insults against government officials.
Sillah also expressed confidence in President Barrow’s electoral prospects, saying the President had nothing to fear ahead of the December 5 election.
The UDP had not publicly responded to Sillah’s allegations at the time of publication.
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