DAILY OBSERVER
Monday, June 4, 2001
WESTERN DIVISION NOMINATES JAMMEH

A fifty-member delegation led by the chairman of the Western Division Elders
Council, Alhaji Kalifa Sano of Brufut, last Friday called on President Yahya
Jammeh at State House to formally propose him as their desired candidate for
the next presidential election slated for October 18 this year. During the
audience, the general secretary of the elders council of Western Division,
and Kombo Central, Chief Bakary Santang Bojang, recalled how elders from
across the country appealed to, compelled and convinced President Jammeh to
resign from the military at the end of the transition in 1996 to run for
presidency as well as his landslide victory in the said polls.

Chief Santang Bojang attributed President Jammeh's 1996 victory to the will
of God and the support of The Gambian people. He said, "Over the past five
years, President Jammeh's achievements have become well known to all
Gambians and the international community at large. Gambians now have
confidence in President Jammeh more than any time before. This is why the
Western Division has again taken the lead to recommend Jammeh's candidature
in the coming election." The APRC Western Division women's mobiliser, Aja
Ndeye Jatta, and lady councillors, Ya Amie Badjie and Sifaya Hydara,
commended President Jammeh for uplifting the status of Gambian women. Hydara
noted that "Every day, something new and positive happens for the progress
and welfare of women under President Jammeh's leadership."

She said most of the projects implemented by the APRC government had
benefited women directly more than any group in the country and called on
the women folk to vote Jammeh in with a greater majority. Other speakers
were Essa Sanneh, MI Bojang, Imams Ismaila Baye, Sukuta, Yusupha Darboe,
Basori, Abdoulie Bah, Nemakunku, Cherno Alhaji Sella Bah, Brufut and Alhaji
Saikou Janko, who reaffirmed the growing commitment of the youths of Western
Division to the ideals of President Jammeh as a hardworking, patriotic and
honest leader with a good vision for the progress of all Gambians.

Fisheries and national resources secretary, Susan Waffa-Ogoo, and the APRC
national mobiliser, tourism secretary, Yankuba Touray, thanked the people of
Western Divison for the trust and confidence they had in President Jammeh.
SoS Touray said the record performance of the APRC government under Jammeh's
rule was recognised by all patriotic Gambians and that come October 2001,
the president would sweep the polls in a landslide. In response, President
Jammeh thanked the delegation and the whole of Western Division for their
renewed support and loyalty and for the solidarity they have shown for him
and the APRC over the past five years. He urged them to close ranks,
mobilise and coordinate campaign programmes with peace and tolerance.

He cautioned them to avoid being provoked by the main opposition UDP, whose
supporters, according to President Jammeh, are confused and looking for
excuses in advance of their imminent defeat in the October polls. President
Jammeh said the UDP lacks a genuine manifesto and an agenda relevant to The
Gambia's progress as a Third World country, saying that was why a number of
the party's stalwarts have now turned to the APRC. He further stated that
the UDP was involved in a conspiracy with former President Dawda Jawara and
other disgruntled elements overseas, working against the interest of
Gambians and The Gambia as a sovereign nation. Jammeh said the recent
meeting held in London, England where representatives of the opposition
called for sanctions against The Gambia, was a clear example of the
unpatriotic and opportunistic nature of the opposition.

He said the UDP had been flushed out of the Upper, Central and Lower River
divisions, "not to speak of Banjul and the Kombo St Mary's Division" and
must not be allowed to root anywhere within the Western Division. The
president also implored all Gambians to exercise their electoral rights by
getting registered, and condemned the UDP for "faning the fires of tribalism
with the ultimate intent of fragmenting the Gambian society. He then
accepted the nomination, which, he said, would enable his government execute
programmes already mapped out for The Gambia's development. President Jammeh
said the provision of adequate water and electricity throughout the country
as well as the improvement of road networks would constitute the priorities
of his government under a second mandate. Also present at the meeting were
the local government secretary, Momodou Nai Ceesay, the APRC deputy national
mobiliser, Alhaji Buba Baldeh, and other senior APRC officials. The
gathering was led in prayer by the imam of Brikama, Alhaji Karamo Touray.

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