Gambia: APRC mobiliser slams opposition
By Own Correspondent – Following the announcement by the opposition Gambia Moral Congress (GMC) party that it will throw its weight behind the opposition United Democratic Party and its allies ahead of the 2011 elections, we have a reaction from the ruling APRC.
The National Mobiliser of the ruling party, Mayor Yankuba Colley, has again dismissed the opposition camp in the country as posing no threat to the APRC in the upcoming 2011 presidential, 2012 parliamentary and 2013 local government elections.
Colley, who is also the Mayor of the Kanifing Municipality, was speaking with our reporter in an exclusive interview at his office at the Kanifing Municipal Council chambers. His comments followed the announcement by the GMC last Thursday.
“The 2011 election is a foregone conclusion, because the APRC will sweep the polls 100 percent,” he told this reporter.
According to Colley, the GMC leader “is just looking for cheap popularity, which motivated him to join an alliance with the UDP. He is just looking for cheap popularity, but even if all the political parties form an alliance or coalition, they cannot pose and will not pose any threat to the APRC,” he declared Mayor Colley added that the recent by-election in Sare Ngai is a clear indication to the opposition that the APRC has strong grassroots support.
“How can a party without an agenda pose a threat to the APRC party? Someone who has been an opposition joining forces with another opposition is nothing to us. This does not even interest us, as the ruling party. The GMC has no party structure, no agenda and had never held a meeting in the country since its formation,” the APRC mobiliser continued.
Colley said the leader of the GMC just formed a political party to gain popularity. “Do you think that Gambians are foolish? Let them form an alliance. This has no essence, because they cannot shake a party that has already established itself,” Colley emphasized. He opined that the question to ask as at now is what weight has the Gambia Moral Congress in shaking the ruling APRC, stating that “GMC is an individual party, and not a political party.”
“We at APRC don’t even talk about the opposition. We have a strong agenda, unlike them (the opposition). The APRC has a good agenda for 2011, and people will see for themselve when the time comes. Our agenda is very simple; we are an action-orientated party, and no party can pose a threat to us,” Colley further declared.
In Colley’s view, there is no part of this country where people support the GMC. “In fact, the Independent Electoral Commission has to look into this because some people are using politics for their individual gain,” he said, noting further that political parties must have registered structures on the ground.
“Go within KMC, and even the grassroots level, and ask anyone whether he or she knows or heard of a party call Gambia Moral Congress,” Colley told our reporter. The APRC National Mobiliser is of the conviction that a party that is not known nationally cannot pose any threat to a party that has been in existence for the past 16 years.
“May be he (the GMC leader) wants the UDP to publicize him, because he alone cannot organise a meeting. Such people are desperate to look for anyone that they can join. We at the APRC are not a desperate party. GMC has no weight with which to support any party,” Colley further opined.
The Mayor of the Kanifing Municipality did not also spare the opposition National Alliance for Democracy and Development (NADD), which he opined, has “no agenda for 2011”. “NADD today and NADD yesterday, UDP today and UDP yesterday, pose no threat to the APRC. We are not just taking about victory, but we are talking about 100 percent victory. We are above victory and, believe me, victory is already assured,” Colley stated.
He added: “Even you journalists know that APRC is stronger than ever. As a journalist, you want to tell me that there is no change in this country? Even the blind people can attest to the numerous developments and changes under Jammeh’s leadership.”
Mayor Colley is of the view that the Jammeh administration has taken Gambians from darkness to brightness. “Since the advent of the Jammeh administration, did you hear of any scarcity of basic foods? No! People are eating three times a day,” he said. Meanwhile, efforts to talk to Mai Fatty, leader of the Gambia Moral Congress, proved futile, as he could not be reached.
