'In reaction to crude oil controversy
                      UDP THREATENS TO SUE
                                 JAMMEH


                 The United Democratic Party campaign manager, Femi Peters
has
                 revealed his party's resolve to sue President Jammeh's
government
                 over the controversial crude oil affair if it fails to take
necessary
                 action on the matter.

                 Mr. Peters told The Independent recently that the UDP would
not
                 allow the issue to be 'down played or laid to rest' by the
government.
                 He claimed that all those who were involved in the affair
'cheated the
                 Gambian people by obtaining money the wrong way.' He said
the
                 UDP is 'seriously' keen to ensure that justice is applied
in the case
                 and would cause the APRC government to answer charges if it
                 doesn't clarify the issue and take decisive action.

                 He said it would not be enough for the government to make
'blank'
                 statements intended to exempt those allegedly involved from
any
                 blame. He said the government had kept silent over the
issue,
                 expecting Gambians to forget or 'brush the issue aside'. He
said
                 Gambians are as determined now to get to the 'bottom of the
truth' as
                 before.

                 He said that the UDP would 'tread carefully' before coming
out with
                 more revelations on the affair, 'knowing well what the
consequences
                 are for The Gambia.' He added that 'if Jammeh feels we are
wrong or
                 libelous to what we are saying, let him institute necessary
action
                 immediately and take us to court' he suggested. 'If
President Jammeh
                 will not take us to court, we shall take him to court', he
vowed.

                 The National Assembly had since debated the issue with the
APRC
                 majority there dismissing the motion on the grounds that it
lacked
                 merit. However, Mr. Peters sounding defiant urged Gambians
to be
                 steadfast behind the national interest and make a decision
in the
                 best interest of the country.

                 Mr. Peters noted that Sam Sarr's remarks in the past about
the crude
                 oil deal are contradictory to earlier statements he made on
the issue.
                 He said there are authentic documents and an affidavit
filed in court,
                 indicating that Sam Sarr reported directly to President
Jammeh
                 during the process of the deal. Mr. Peters claimed that Sam
was
                 instructed not to involve anybody in the process leading to
the
                 conclusion of the deal.

                 The UDP strongman asserted that Gambians cannot understand
why
                 Sam Sarr should contradict his previous statement. He also
raised
                 questions concerning Mr. Sarr's alleged possession of a
Gambian
                 diplomatic passport despite being a Senegalese national. He
said if
                 the crude oil were meant for an individual, and not for the
Republic
                 of The Gambia, 'then Sam Sarr should be in a position to
inform
                 Gambians who this individual was.'

                 He opined that Sam Sarr's alleged attempts to exonerate
President
                 Jammeh of blame is misleadingly and could only make matters
worse
                 for those 'with skeletons in their cupboard'. He maintained
that The
                 Gambia Government was taken to court over the issue, and
that its
                 officials also spent money, paid legal fees and also
received an
                 advance payment from crude oil transactions.

                 He also indicated that the affidavit of David Paul Ford of
Glencore
                 was convincing evidence, attesting to the APRC government's
                 alleged involvement. Mr. Peters also stressed that Sam
Sarr's
                 reported statements had driven home the urgency to set up a
                 commission to look into the affair.

                 He further claimed that Mr. Sarr who reportedly said that
account
                 number J3650-7C was not President Jammeh's 'was not only
trying to
                 cover-up but was also following the President's footsteps.'
Mr.
                 Peters believed that firm and serious action should be
taken if the
                 national interest is to be safeguarded.
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