August 14-15, 2002

Headline News

Juwara renews attack on Darboe
make charges of non-accountability of party funds

by Sidiq Asemota
Head, Judicial Desk

The organising secretary of the United Democratic Party (UDP), Lamin Waa Juwara, has renewed his call for Lawyer Ousainou Darboe to resign as the secretary general and leader of the UDP.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Daily Observer yesterday at his Brikama residence, Mr Juwara said Lawyer Darboe should resign in the interest of the party. "I strongly feel that Darboe should resign as a matter of principle, though I have nothing against him personally but if he has any clear conscience for the good of the nation he should simply quit the party leadership and not wait until a congress is held.
"It is the standard practice in all modern democratic organisations that leaders when they take wrong decisions as a result of which their organisations get a setback, they take the blame and resign.
"The Jammeh-cannot-win-programme" cannot be spearheaded by Darboe for the simple fact that he publicly declared Jammeh the winner," he said.
Mr Juwara said Darboe's five years of political activity had earned the party a zero growth.

He further said never in the history of Gambian politics had a leading candidate conceded defeat and later led his party to boycott two important elections in protest.
"Despite the fact that Gambians at home and abroad have made contributions, there is not a single road worthy vehicle owned by the party. The funds raised in Europe, America and domestically have not been accounted for, there is no transparency, because as far as I know as the organising secretary, there is no butut in the party's coffer" Juwara said.

Mr Juwara revealed that the support and the determination of the UDP supporters were openly manifested when they hired and paid for vehicles to attend UDP meetings, sit in rain and sunshine, slaughtered animals and cooked for party delegations in the villages and hamlets across the country.
He said while they put in five years of sustainable campaign, their supporters were betrayed by a small group of people led by Darboe.
Mr Juwara said Darboe failed not only to apologise to UDP supporters but has also failed to congratulate them for supporting the party.
Mr Juwara said the UDP has failed to acknowledge receipt of monies sent by people from abroad and to also thank them for all their contribution.

He said the UDP had ceased to qualify as the main opposition party under Darboe's leadership as the party had no single member at the National Assembly and in the Local Government councils across the country.
"May I remind Darboe how many times he called on public figures including Momodou Lamin Sedat Jobe, former Foreign Affairs Minister to resign and when Jobe resigned he was seen by many as an honourable man. Darboe has done more harm than Sedat Jobe and he has led the party for five years to doom," he said.
Mr Juwara said if the UDP leadership see it fit that Darboe should continue, then they do not have the interest of the people at heart.
He however said the UDP could not pursue a new political agenda with Darboe as the leader of the UDP and he therefore again called on him to resign before it is too late.

 

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