By: Dawda Baldeh
Human rights activist Madi Jobarteh has condemned the recent lawsuit threats from President Adama Barrow’s lawyers against the Editor of The Voice newspaper, Musa Sheriff.
It can be recalled that on Monday, September 23rd, 2024, The Voice reported that “President Adama Barrow is working on an exit plan a little more than two years before Gambians return to the polls to elect their next President,” according to NPP officials.
The story was captioned: “Barrow Chooses Muhammed Jah as Successor as President Works on Exit Plan.”
However, on September 25th, 2024, Ida D. Drammeh and Associates, counsel for President Adama Barrow, leader of the National People’s Party, wrote to Musa S. Sheriff, Managing Editor of The Voice, threatening legal action against the paper for publishing the article.
Reacting to the lawsuit threat, activist Jobarteh told The Fatu Network that the threats against The Voice newspaper were a direct attack on the media, as well as on transparency and accountability of public officials to the people of The Gambia.
He argued that what the newspaper reported was neither defamatory nor malicious, but a legitimate issue for public discussion.
“The issue of power succession is common in political parties, and we currently see it being discussed in the UDP and other parties,” he said.
He added: “Imagine if Lawyer Darboe said he would sue anyone for discussing such a topic?”
For Mr. Jobarteh, it would be considered dictatorial, a threat to freedom of opinion, and against the right to political participation and democracy as a whole.
“So, I find the President’s threat to be intolerant and very concerning.
It confirms my position that Adama Barrow is a dictator at heart,” he said.
Activist Jobarteh stated that Barrow does not believe in, nor even understand, what democracy means.
“To force The Voice to retract and apologize is even more obnoxious and offensive to democracy and the free press.
I urge The Voice to maintain the story and not retract or apologize in any way,” he emphasized.
Jobarteh added: “Let the President go to court, and we will mobilize all Gambians to stand with Musa Sheriff and The Voice in court.”
He expressed optimism that the courts will reject this “shameful suit” and “throw it back in the faces of his lawyers!”
Furthermore, Jobarteh argued that if President Barrow does not want the media to discuss his political agenda and decisions, he should resign from both the NPP and the presidency.
“In that case, no one will care about him.
But as NPP leader and President, he is a legitimate target for the media and citizens to report on, analyze, and speculate about his political affairs. It’s as simple as that,” he concluded.
Despite the legal threats from the President’s lawyers, The Voice newspaper editor Musa Sheriff has earlier told The Alkamba Times that he stands by the story.
However, the Gambia Press Union (GPU) has yet to comment on the matter.
