What on earth is going on in The Gambia?  Form your own opinion.

Joe


The Independent Published Friday, November 9, 2001

Dibba meets Jammeh Considers to join force with APRC, others for NA
elections


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The leader of the National Convention Party, Sheriff Mustapha Dibba has met
President Jammeh and spoke of the possibility of coalescing with any party
including the APRC in the forthcoming National Assembly election.

Speaking to reporters Friday after a brief State House meeting with the
president whom he congratulated for his election victory last month Sheriff
Dibba said he and Jammeh had discussed development issues relating the
country. He underlined the need for all Gambians to support President
Jammeh’s government in what he called all necessary ways vital to the
development of The Gambia.

On the October 18 election Mr. Dibba posited that if there were
irregularities they were not overwhelming enough to affect the overall
outcome of the results. “I think the last presidential election was the
freest, fairest and most transparent election ever held in the country”, he
stated, adding that the election has contributed immensely to the country’s
democratic credentials. “We are satisfied and we look forward to the next
five years. It is our duty to support government’s effort to develop this
county and we will definitely do so”, he proclaimed Asked about his
uncomplimentary comments about the APRC during his campaign in the last
election, in which he was quoted as saying that joining the APRC was the
last thing he would do, Dibba retorted, “I do not think I said so”.

Regarding the forthcoming National Assembly elections he told reporters that
the NCP is in the process of taking a decision on the election. He however,
expressed the possibility of NCP coalescing with other political parties,
including the APRC to contest the parliamentary elections. Meanwhile
unconfirmed reports have suggested that Mr. Dibba was to be confirmed as the
next speaker of the National Assembly. Other reports have also hinted of the
prospects for the veteran politician to be appointed as vice-president.

Until his visit to State House, which was the subject of rumours two weeks
ago, Mr. Dibba had been scathingly critical of President Jammeh who he
accused of “destroying” democracy and instilling a culture of fear and
intimidation among Gambians. He was also quoted as condemning Jammeh’s
regime as a military government, which made a serious mistake by banning all
politicians of the old order and arresting individuals without cause.

Mr. Dibba had also criticized the government’s handling of the country’s
economy, saying it was responsible for the downward spiral of the local
currency and the skyrocketing of commodity prices. He was also unsparing
with The Gambia’s foreign policy under President Jammeh, which he blamed for
what he thought at the time were costly diplomatic mistakes, citing the
stand-off between Britain and The Gambia over the expulsion of Bharat Joshi
the then Deputy British High Commissioner. When The Independent called Mr.
Dibba, he had promised to call us later in the day although this did not
come to pass.




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