The Independent Published Sunday, September 23, 2001

Darboe demands AG Joof's resignation




The UDP leader Ousainou Darboe has called on the Attorney General and
Secretary of State for Justice Joseph Joof to resign immediately. Darboe's
demand comes in the wake of the Attorney General's futile attempts to bar
him from being nominated as the opposition coalition presidential candidate.
Speaking to his supporters in Latrikunda Thursday, Darboe expressed
disappointment over what he described as the wrong and misleading
information over his eligibility by Joseph Joof who he believes should have
served as "a source of light" to Gambians on legal matters.

According to the embattled politician, the Attorney General had falsely
accused him several times, at one instance writing to the IEC, advancing
false information with a view to disqualifying him from making a challenge
for the presidency. "It takes more than a wig and a gown to be a lawyer,
which is why the Attorney General is giving wrong legal advice to the
government manned by inexperienced officials" he said. Darboe claimed that
Mr. Joof is not even qualified to be a senior state counsel in other
countries. Reacting to Fatoumatta Jahumpa Ceesay's allegation that he evaded
taxes Darboe stated that he was consulting his lawyer to look into the
modalities of instituting a lawsuit against Mrs. Ceesay for accusing him of
a criminal offence without proof. He told his supporters that the high price
tagged on consumer products is a direct consequence of toppling a
progressive government seven years ago by a gaggle of inexperienced army
officers.

"The government has neither made any effort to save the precious dalasi from
depreciating nor reduce the high price of goods in the market. But now that
elections are fast approaching there is much pretension that something is
being done" Darboe asserted. To substantiate this claim, the coalition
leader said the government has already given duty waiver to one Gassa to
import several tons of rice to the country, which would be sold at D150 per
bag. However he said after the consignment is sold the price of rice would
"jump up to D400 per bag as government would want to recover the duty waiver
extended to Gassa". Darboe described the coming election as a crucial test
for the maturity of Gambians who he pointed out, should distinguish between
liberty and economic buoyancy on the one hand and more suffering under APRC
stewardship on the other.






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