Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – President Adama Barrow has launched a scathing critique of opposition leaders in The Gambia, accusing them of undermining national progress and prioritizing their political ambitions over the country’s development. He claimed that opposition-elected officials, including National Assembly members, mayors, chairpersons, and councillors, contribute little to the nation’s welfare and aim to see his government fail.

“Take a look at the opposition leaders you elected… What purpose do they serve for you? None. They contribute nothing of value,” Barrow stated. “While we are working to pull in one direction, they are pulling in another. Their sole intention is to see The Gambia fail so they can claim that President Barrow has failed. That’s their strategy for winning votes.”

Internal Divisions in NPP

Barrow acknowledged that divisions within his own National People’s Party (NPP) have also contributed to electoral setbacks. Highlighting the party’s performance in Banjul, where NPP won the majority of councillor seats but lost the mayoral election, Barrow attributed the loss to internal disagreements.

“We won seven out of nine councillor seats in Banjul, so how did we lose the mayoral election? It’s all due to the divisions within us,” he said.

Barrow urged party supporters to unite and focus on strengthening the NPP. He emphasized that unity is essential not only for the party’s current success but also for its longevity beyond his presidency.

“If we stop fighting over positions, our party will become united… Even after my time as president, the party will continue to thrive,” Barrow remarked, drawing parallels to South Africa’s African National Congress (ANC).

He called on party members to rally behind their leaders, such as Ousman Wadda in Banjul, to ensure effective governance and development.

Welcoming New Members

President Barrow also extended a warm welcome to new members of the NPP, including Isatou Njie, formerly of Team Rohey Malick Lowe and RAFELA’s National Coordinator in The Gambia. Speaking at the opening of the NPP’s bureau in Banjul, Barrow emphasized the importance of embracing new recruits to prevent them from returning to their former affiliations.

“If you don’t welcome them with open arms, they may return to their previous positions, and I don’t want anyone to feel unwelcome,” he said.

Barrow highlighted his longstanding relationship with Njie, describing it as strong and apolitical even during her time with the opposition.

Responding to Essa Faal’s Criticism

In response to remarks by opposition figure Essa Faal about his “big belly” and alleged pursuit of politics for personal gain, Barrow dismissed the comments as baseless. He questioned Faal’s claims of wealth and accused him of misleading the public.

“I recently heard a politician say we have big bellies, implying we joined politics for positions and money. But aren’t we all Gambians? If they say we’re after positions or food, I’ll leave that for the people to judge,” Barrow said.

Barrow contrasted Faal’s alleged wealth with that of respected Gambian businessmen like Basiru Jawara, who, according to him, built their fortunes without boasting or relying on employment from others.

President Barrow reiterated his commitment to uniting the NPP and ensuring its success in future elections. He called on party members to prioritize collective progress over individual ambitions, urging them to work together to achieve the development goals of The Gambia.