President Adama Barrow is on the verge of registering a political party, the Freedom Newspaper can reveal. Mr. Barrow’s political surrogates have been talking to regional leaders, local chiefs, Governors, and religious leaders to canvass for support for Barrow ahead of the launching of Barrow’s upcoming political party. The new party will be launched shortly after the much talked about United Democratic Party (UDP) Congress scheduled for December. Barrow has called for restraint among his followers and urged them to go about their business in galvanizing support nationwide for the upcoming party, sources familiar with the story told this medium.
Mr. Barrow’s relationship with his political Godfather Ousainou Darboe, who happens to be Gambia’s Vice President and Leader of the UDP, hasn’t been that cordial in recent weeks. This followed, Barrow’s quest to expand his political base in the name of empowering his Youth Movement, among other projects he has spearheaded in rural and urban Gambia.
For the past weeks or so, Imams, Community Leaders, and the Sarahule Community have been paying courtesy call on President Barrow at the State House. Mr. Darboe has been conspicuously missing in the said meetings. Barrow has surrounded himself with the likes Hamat Bah, Dembo By Force, Musa Drammeh, Henry Gomez, Dodou Sannoh, Lamin Cham, and others.
Gambian renowned lawyer Sheriff Tambadou led the Saruhule delegation to the State House. He spoke on behalf of the delegation. Tambadou is the elder brother of Gambia’s Justice Minister Abubacarr Tambadou.
According to multiple sources close to President Barrow, the rookie President, felt some type of way of being elbowed out by the UDP—with growing calls within the party’s leadership for Darboe to lead the party in the upcoming Congress. Both Aji Yam Secka and Lawyer Almami Taal, the UDP spokesman, have rallied their support for Darboe’s leadership in the upcoming Congress.
“Mr. Barrow’s surrogates have started gathering signatures in rural and urban Gambia under the disguise of his Youth Movement lending financial and material support to communities. The game plan here is to register a party for Barrow in the event that the UDP chooses to walk away from him. Mr. Barrow is ten steps ahead of the UDP,” said one official who spoke on condition of anonymity.
“Aji Yam Seck is team Barrow, but she is faking it for now just to throw off the hardcore Darboe supporters in the UDP. Both Aji Yam and Yusupha Cham are team Barrow. Darboe has few loyal followers in Barrow’s Cabinet and outside Cabinet. Mayoress Rohey Lowe is also team Barrow. She is working with Barrow’s team. She is helping Barrow to recruit Banjul women and her friends in the diaspora. When the political dust settles, you will get to know what I am talking about. Barrow is using money, position, and marabouts to consolidate himself in power. He has no intention of allowing Ousainou Darboe or anyone at the UDP to succeed him after his current mandate,” he added.
Also, among the religious leaders on Barrow bandwagon is the respected Gambian Imam Ba Kawsu Fofona. Fofona has been allocated a new vehicle by President Barrow. He is also working around with a Diplomatic Passport.
Mr. Barrow, according to officials close to him, has plans to fire Ousainou Darboe, including some UDP supporters, who are working in his government and are not in support of his agenda.
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