By Dawda Baldeh

Tourism and Culture Minister and leader of National Reconciliation Party Hamat Bah has stuck the knife into the leader of United Democratic Party Ousainou Darboe for making ‘false’ comments that President Adama Barrow is not interested in agriculture.

Mr Darboe had reportedly said the president is not interested in agriculture, one of the country’s most important sectors.

“The comments Ousainou Darboe made are false and misleading,” Hamat Bah said at President Adama Barrow’s rally in Bondali, Foni on Tuesday.

“I want Darboe to go and research about the development projects this government has brought in the country,” he added.

Mr Bah noted that the government has secured projects and programs that has never happened in the country before.

“Darboe will be another failed politician in the country,” he said.

A total of 98 candidates, including two women, have submitted applications for the first direct presidential election in Libya as the application ended on Tuesday.

Emad Al-Sayeh, Chairman of the High National Elections Commission, on Tuesday told a press conference in Tripoli that 98 people have submitted applications for presidential candidacy, and a primary list of candidates will be published in two days.

Most of the political and military figures, as well as a large number of activists, academics, and artists, are running for president.

Abdulhakim Bayo, the first presidential candidate who submitted an application to the Elections Commission, said the upcoming elections are the first democratic elections in the North African country since 2011.

“I am positive that these elections are a chance for me to serve my country,” Bayo said.

The House of Representatives, the country’s parliament, approved the presidential election law in September and approved the parliamentary election law in October.

According to the laws, the president will be elected at the end of December by direct general secret ballots, while the parliament will be elected after a month from the presidential election.

Mahmoud Khalafallah, a political analyst, believes the record number of presidential candidates is expected, given the new democratic experience in Libya.

“Everyone believes that they can be a president of the country, especially in the absence of one real candidate who can guarantee to win the presidency,” Khalafallah told Xinhua.

“There are no politicians or figures in Libya with long experience in this field. Therefore, this made even those who do not have a political history believe in their opportunity to win the votes,” Khalafallah said.

The political analyst also pointed out that some candidates are running for president as a political maneuver, attempting to gain a position in the elected authority in the coming weeks.

“Some individuals want to be referred to as “presidential candidate”. Some of them were pushed by political parties to be an alternative to the well-known figure who may be outside the electoral race. Therefore, the number of presidential candidates is large,” he explained.

The most notable presidential candidates include Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, son of the late leader Muammar Gaddafi, Khalifa Haftar, the commander of the eastern-based army, Aguila Saleh, the speaker of the parliament, and Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah, the incumbent prime minister.

The elections are part of a roadmap adopted by the UN-sponsored Libyan Political Dialogue Forum in February, with the aim to bring stability to Libya.

CGTN

By Matty Senghore

The presidential candidate of opposition Gambia Democratic Congress has said no one has the right to tell him who should speak at his rally and who should not – and accused the Independent Electoral Commission of being indifferent to President Adama Barrow giving out money to voters.

Speaking at Felenkoto, Jarra East on Tuesday night, Mr Kandeh also addressed the issue of former President Jammeh’s supporters backing him saying that no one can stop them from wearing APRC t-shirts.

“The people talking between the APRC alliance and NO Alliance have no business to talk about it even the IEC has no business to talk about it. They are all APRC supporters, the party isn’t dead. They are still APRC and that is where they still support. Their only difference is they are not supporting the same person. Who am I (MAMA KANNDEH) to say they are not APRC supporters, who is the IEC to say they are not APRC supporters? If they are APRC supporters, who is there to stop them from wearing APRC materials? It’s not IEC’s business,” Mr Kandeh said.

He said elsewhere: “I believe Yahya Jammeh is still APRC, and I still believe President Jammeh is still a member of the APRC. Yahya Tamba and all his followers remain to be members of the APRC and I haven’t heard anywhere that these people have been expelled from the APRC. Does the executive of THAT APRC have the power to expel everyone from APRC just because you are not supporting President Barrow?

“IEC should know what is expected of them, I am telling you that we don’t have dumb people. I know the laws, I respect and accept the law. By God’s grace, I won’t violate the law. Therefore, IEC will not be able to do what they are used to this time around. Alieu MOMAR NJIE refuses to retire but by GOD’s grace, you will not do what you want.”

Elsewhere, Kandeh angrily accused President Barrow of giving out money to voters and vowed he will file a petition and make sure National People’s Party of the president is deregistered.

He said: “If we are truthful, in the electoral laws of this country, we all know giving out money during campaigns it is violating the electoral laws of this country and every day we are seeing President Barrow giving out money to people.

“I am so disappointed by this IEC. I won’t admit that you haven’t seen videos and haven’t heard from people that Barrow and his people are bribing everybody every day which is against the electoral laws of this country. You have turned a blind eye to that. I will put a petition to that and I want to see the NPP being de-registered because they are violating the law and IEC are not talking about that. Are you the one to tell me who should be speaking in my meeting? Who are you?”

By Dawda Baldeh

Supporters of the National People’s Party on Tuesday came out in large numbers expressing support as the President resumed his campaign in Foni after spending 12 days in rural Gambia before returning to Banjul on Sunday.

During his rally at Kalagi, Bondali and Sibanor on Tuesday, President Barrow called on his supporters to rally behind him. However, he dismissed claims made by Lawyer Ousainou Darboe in a WhatsApp audio saying that ‘President Adama Barrow not interested in agriculture’. The president said these claims are misleading.

Barrow emphasized that his government is committed to improving the agricultural sector. “My government have budget $80m rice value chain, $28m on livestock, project $27 boreholes for animals and new $40m from World Bank,” he said. “I want my father to go and find about the agriculture projects we have brought in the country.”

“I will work hard to put the best interest first,” he said. “Only work can develop this country. Let’s work hard and talk less. I will not blame my father (Ousainou Darboe) because he is too old.”

Honorable Bori LSB Colley described the APRC/ NPP alliance as the best interest for the country. He called on the people of Foni to rally behind President Adama Barrow while urging them to desist from supporting the APRC breakaway team. “I want to assure you our firm support,” he said. “In Foni, we don’t know what opposition is.”

Henry Gomez, leader of GPDP, the election is not about President Barrow but Gambia vs Gambia. He also urged the citizens to vote for President Barrow in December.

At these rallies, President Barrow has been described as peaceful, generous and democratic leader. However, residents continue highlighting challenges face by women ranging from lack of milling machines, shortage of water in gardens among many things.

Other speakers at the meetings include Hamat Bah, Tamsir Jasseh Independent presidential candidate, Hon Alhagie Jammeh National Assembly Member for Foni Jarol, Modou Lamin Barrow, Momodou Bah 1 Independent Candidate who all expressed their support to the president.

When Citizens’ Alliance and Dr Ismaila Ceesay when their case against the Independent Electoral Commission on Tuesday, it was clear what awaited them regarding Mai Ahmad Fatty and his Gambia Moral Congress party.

Mr Fatty had also sued Election House for the same exact charge: illegal disqualification.

The party’s case came up in court today where the high court held the IEC flouted the law during its rejection of Mr Fatty’s nomination and instructed for him to join the contest again.

Mr Fatty himself wrote after the high court’s verdict: “GMC just won its case against the IEC. The Court granted all Reliefs against IEC. Justice has prevailed. We are appreciative of the enormous support from my Co-Counsel Mr. L. S Camara of Dandimayo Chambers.

“Thank you to our GMC loyal supporters and sympathisers both at home and in the Diaspora, and to all Gambians. Grateful to my colleagues in the Bar who supported one way or the other. Gambian democracy has been further consolidated. The judiciary is the bastion of our sovereignty. God Bless the Republic of The Gambia.”

By Lamin Njie editor-in-chief and Christian Conteh and Maimuna Bah

Judge Amina Saho-Ceesay on Tuesday blasted that the Independent Electoral Commission’s wanton disregard and non-compliance with the prescription of the law and its own guidelines profoundly violated the right of Citizens’ Alliance leader Dr Ismaila Ceesay to stand for election.

“In my judgment, the cumulative effect of IEC wanton disregard and non-compliance with the prescription of the law and their own guidelines profoundly infringes on the 1st applicant’s fundamental right guaranteed under [Section 20(c)] of the constitution, that is the right to stand for election without reasonable restriction,” she said while entering a judgment in favour of Dr Ismaila Ceesay.

“I also finds and holds that the IEC’s rejection of the 1st applicant’s (Dr Ceesay) without following due process of the law is in violation of Article 13 of the Banjul Charter…,” the top judge said elsewhere.

Dr Ismaila Ceesay had last week sued the Independent Electoral Commission for illegally rejecting his nomination to stand in next month’s presidential election. Election House turned his nomination down saying he did not fulfill the 200 signatures requirement in one of the nation’s seven regions, Banjul.

The judge however ruled on Tuesday the Independent Electoral Commission treated Dr Ceesay unfairly by not giving him a chance to make adjustments to his nomination as required by law.

Dr Ismaila Ceesay was happy with the court’s verdict telling reporters he did not go to court for himself only but for future generations.

“This is not about this election, it’s about justice, it’s about preventing somebody in the future to become a victim of such malpractice and such blatant disregard for the rule of law,” Dr Ceesay told reporters.

The IEC’s lawyer Kebba Sanyang said he is neither surprised nor disappointed by the high court’s decision.

“I am not disappointed,” Barrister Sanyang said and said when asked if he was going to appeal. “I act for a client, when I get instructions on that we will proceed.”

The verdict came at 5:32pm on Tuesday after the judge had finished going through the facts of a case that started only last week. Judge Amina Saho-Ceesay ordered that Dr Ismaila Ceesay submit additional signatures to the IEC for the Banjul Administrative Area and for the IEC to be at liberty to vet the signatures. She also ordered that the IEC pay D200,000 dalasis to Dr Ceesay and CA.

Ethiopian Prime Minister and Nobel Peace Prize winner Abiy Ahmed has announced he will lead his country’s soldiers on the front lines of the war against advancing rebel fighters, in the latest escalation of the year-long conflict between his government and rebel groups from the northern Tigray region.

“Starting tomorrow, I will head to the war front to lead the defense forces in person,” he wrote in a statement on Twitter late Monday, urging citizens to “lead the country with a sacrifice” and join him. “Those of you who aim to be one of Ethiopia’s children who will be celebrated in history, rise up today for your country, let’s meet at the war front.”

“In the past and in the present, the needs and lives of each and every one of us is below [the needs of] Ethiopia,” Abiy added. “We would rather die to save Ethiopia than outlive Ethiopia.”

Abiy referred to the push as the “final fight to save Ethiopia” from “internal and external enemies” who he claims are “ready to build their strength on the weakness of Ethiopia.”

The statement comes after the Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) — the former ruling party of Tigray — claimed its fighters had captured two towns as they advance towards the capital Addis Ababa, more than one year after the conflict erupted in the north of the country.

One of the towns TPLF claims was captured on Saturday includes Shewa Robit, which is about 220 km (136 miles) northeast of Addis Ababa. CNN has not been able to reach the federal government for comment on the claim.

TPLF spokesman Getachew Reda responded to Abiy’s statement in a tweet, warning that “our forces won’t relent on their inexorable advance towards bringing his chokehold on our people to an end.”

While the Prime Minister is on the battlefield, his duties and the duties of other administrators who have joined the fight will be done by federal and regional officials who will “work to their fullest capacity” to oversee the development and administration of the country.

“Ethiopia is the name of winners,” Abiy concluded his statement, ” I never doubt that my generation shall pay the price in its name as an icon of freedom.”

When Abiy received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019 for ending a 20-year war between Ethiopia and Eritrea, he was lauded as a regional peacemaker. Now, he is presiding over a protracted civil war with rebels in Tigray that by many accounts bears the hallmarks of genocide.

In November 2020, Abiy ordered a military offensive in the northern Tigray region and promised that the conflict would be resolved quickly. One year on, the fighting has left thousands dead, displaced more than 2 million people from their homes, fueled famine and given rise to a wave of atrocities.

 SOURCE CNN

The Director General (DG) of  Gambia Radio and Television Services (GRTS), Mr. Malick Jeng, has showered praises on President Adama Barrow and his government for providing the national broadcaster with a new set of transmitters for both radio and television.

In a press release dated 23rd November 2021. DG Jeng confirmed that the said equipment has already been delivered to the GRTS offices.

He said the equipment was purchased from a government allocation of 36 million dalasi (about 680 thousand United States dollars) to the state broadcaster, being part of a supplementary budget allocation approved by the National Assembly on 28th July this year.

DG Jeng noted that the development comes at a time when all GRTS transmitters are operating below half power, emphasizing that the said equipment will enable the national broadcaster to improve its public service delivery to communities across The Gambia.

He disclosed that the new equipment will be installed at four of GRTS’ transmitter stations, namely:  Abuko, Mansakonko, Bansang and Basse, adding that a second consignment of transmitters expected in the near future will replace the equipment at two other stations, Kanilai and Kudang, as well as equip two new stations proposed for Kaur and Kerewan.

In his statement, the Chairperson of the GRTS Board of Directors, Mrs. Fatou Jagne Senghore said: “As part of the efforts to reposition and transform GRTS into a truly public service broadcaster, it is critical that the institution be fully equipped to cover the whole of The Gambia and provide better services to Gambians.”

The Director General of GRTS also disclosed that in addition to the transmitters, GRTS also purchased Television cameras, new Pickup vehicles and a mobile studio. He also thanked all staff of GRTS for their hard work and dedication.

By Lamin Njie editor-in-chief, Christian Conteh and Maimuna Bah

Judge Amina Saho-Ceesay on Tuesday blasted that the Independent Electoral Commission’s wanton disregard and non-compliance with the prescription of the law and its own guidelines profoundly violated the right of Citizens’ Alliance leader Dr Ismaila Ceesay to stand for election.

In my judgment, the cumulative effect of IEC wanton disregard and non-compliance with the prescription of the law and their own guidelines profoundly infringes on the 1st applicant’s fundamental right guaranteed under Section 20(c) of the constitution, that is the right to stand for election without reasonable restriction,” she said while entering a judgment in favour of Dr Ismaila Ceesay.

“I also finds and holds that the IEC’s rejection of the 1st applicant’s (Dr Ceesay) without following due process of the law is in violation of Article 13 of the Banjul Charter…,” the top judge said elsewhere.

Dr Ismaila Ceesay had last week sued the Independent Electoral Commission for illegally rejecting his nomination to stand in next month’s presidential election. Election House turned his nomination down saying he did not fulfill the 200 signatures requirement in one of the nation’s seven regions, Banjul.

The judge however ruled the Independent Electoral Commission treated Dr Ceesay unfairly by not giving him a chance to make adjustments to his nomination as required by law.

Dr Ismaila Ceesay was happy with the court’s verdict telling reporters he did not go to court for himself only but for future generations.

“This is not about this election, it’s about justice, it’s about preventing somebody in the future to become a victim of such malpractice and such blatant disregard for the rule of law,” Dr Ceesay told reporters.

The IEC’s lawyer Kebba Sanyang said he is neither surprised nor disappointed by the high court’s decision.

“I am not disappointed,” Barrister Sanyang said and said when asked if he was going to appeal. “I act for a client, when I get instructions on that we will proceed.”

The verdict came at 5:32pm on Tuesday after the judge had finished going through the facts of a case that started only last week. Judge Amina Saho-Ceesay ordered that Dr Ismaila Ceesay submit additional signatures to the IEC for the Banjul Administrative Area and for the IEC to be at liberty to vet the signatures. She also ordered that the IEC pay D200,000 dalasis to Dr Ceesay and CA.

Gambians mourn the death of Nderry M’bai, proprietor and editor of the Gambia’s online Freedom Newspaper. According to his friends, M’bai passed away in Raleigh, North Carolina, after a brief illness.

Tributes continue to pour in as the country mourns the death of one of the best-known journalists.

President Adama Barrow took time off the campaign trail to send the family and Gambians a tribute message on the passing of the veteran journalist.

“It was so sad that the country woke up to the news of the passing away of veteran journalist, Pa Nderry Mbye, proprietor of Freedom Newspaper.

Pa Nderry through his online paper contributed a lot to the struggle to liberate The Gambia from dictatorship. I extend my condolences to his family and pray that Allah grants him mercy and make Jannahtul Firdawsi his lasting abode”

Lamin Njie is Editor-in-Chief at The Fatu Network, he paid his tribute to Pa Nderry Mbye through a tweet that read,

“I worked for him in 2016, writing stories for Freedom from The Gambia. This was when the dictator was at its most brutal Pa Nderry Mbai used his outlet to expose Jammeh’s brutality, at every turn. He did it with every life in him. May Allah bless Mr. Mbai and may he RIP.”

The Gambia Press Union (GPU) the professional umbrella body for journalists in the Gambia expressed heartfelt condolence to the fallen media guru.

“The board and staff of the Gambia Press Union extend heartfelt condolence to the entire Gambia media fraternity on the demise of journalist Pa Ndery Mbai.”

GPU President Muhammed S Bah said Mr Mbai will be remembered for his braveness and consistency in shining light on the ills of the government and government functionaries.

“Despite the threat on his life and harassment of his family in The Gambia, Pa was consistent in exposing malpractices and giving people access to information that was kept away from the public,” Mr Bah said.

The death of Mr Mbai was announced Monday, 22nd November, in Raleigh, USA where he had been in exile for more than a decade.

Born in Touba Mourid, Niamina, Central River Region, M’bai started his journalism career at the Daily Observer Newspaper in the early 1990s. He reported on a number of issues and developed a reputation of reporting what the authorities and the management of his newspaper never wanted to be published.

Being a thorn on the side of the authorities and the owners of the Daily Observer, which was headed by the late Buba Baldeh, M’bai was sacked from his post in 2000 in what the newspaper described as a ‘restructuring exercise’.

Weeks later, M’bai joined The Point Newspaper, and under the guidance of the late Deyda Hydara, he continued reporting on issues affecting the Gambians. He also reported to the Voice of America radio.

In 2005, M’bai relocated to the United States and worked briefly for a number of online Gambian newspapers and forums including the defunct All Gambia before establishing the Freedom Newspaper. M’bai used the freedom of living in the United States to give a voice to all Gambians and to expose the ills of the regime of Yahya Jammeh.

His style of journalism was despised by the Jammeh regime and exposed his family to government attacks. In one instance, his parents were paraded on national television by the authorities and forced to disown him.

M’bai continued to be a thorn on the side of President Jammeh and played a significant role in bringing down his regime in 2016. He continued to run his newspaper until last week when he took ill. For more than 20 years, Pa Nderry Mbai played a key role in exposing human rights abuses and other injustices during former President Yahya Jammeh’s time in office.

Because Pa Nderry Mbai helped expose the frequent killings, disappearances and torture in The Gambia, Mr Jammeh put the journalist high on his long list of enemies. Two decades ago when newspaper offices were being set ablaze and reporters locked up, Pa Nderry Mbai moved to the United States and launched his online Freedom newspaper. Mr Jammeh made it a crime for anyone to read it.

The website was hacked into and smear campaigns were carried out in an effort to silence him. Because Mr Mbai did so much to expose atrocities taking place in The Gambia, people referred to him as the voice of the country’s first truth commission.

Opposition strongman and presidential candidate of the United Democratic Party (UDP) Ousainou Darboe has vehemently refuted claims that UDP is a tribalist party belonging to the Mandinkas. He was speaking at Sandu Darsilami village on Friday as he continues his campaign.

“UDP is not a tribalist party and will never be. Our primary objective is ‘UDP for a United Gambia’. A UDP government will stand for a one Gambia and will make sure tribalism has no place to survive in this country,” Darboe said.

“I want to remind everyone that The Gambia is one; I want to remind everyone again that all tribes in The Gambia make The Gambia a country. This country’s name is not Mandinka, it is neither Fula nor Wolof but The Gambia,” Mr. Darboe reiterated.

He noted that during the time of Sir Dawda Jawara, Pierre Njie and others they knew no tribe; they knew no religion, they only knew The Gambia and put her first in all they did.

According to Dorboe the UDP’s ‘5-Point Agenda’ will benefit and protect every Gambian regardless of tribe or religion.

He used the recent UDP convert, Marie Sock as an example of a non- Mandinka who has joined the party.

“She’s supporting UDP because she knows UDP is here for The Gambia and will always stand for The Gambia. National unity is what I want for this country,” Darboe said.

“I want to tell every Gambian that all those people that are saying that UDP is a tribalist party are trying to separate the strong union that we all have as people of this country and that all Gambians should not allow this to happen. I’m not and will never stand for tribalism but for a United Gambia,” he stressed.

He used the opportunity to urge all Gambians to desist from all acts of violence as far as the 4^th December election is concerned.

President Adama Barrow has condoled with the family of Pa Nderry Mbai over the death of the fallen veteran journalist.

The Freedom newspaper editor died on Monday in the United States.

And reacting through his verified official Facebook page on Tuesday, President Barrow said: “It was so sad that the country woke up to the news of the passing away of veteran journalist, Pa Nderry Mbye, proprietor of Freedom Newspaper.

“Pa Nderry through his online paper contributed a lot in the struggle to liberate The Gambia from dictatorship. I extend my condolences to his family and pray that Allah grants him mercy and make Jannahtul Firdawsi his lasting abode.”

The Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission will submit its final report to President Adama Barrow on Thursday.

The investigation’s communications chief Essa Jallow said in a statement that they settled on the date following consultations with the attorney general and minister of justice.

The final report will be submitted to President Barrow on Thursday November 25 and commissioners will speak to reporters following the event, Mr Jallow added in his statement.

The TRRC has since 2018 been engaged in torturous investigation into the human rights violations and abuses of the 22 years rule of former President Yahya Jammeh – and the investigation has revealed the former dictator murdered over 200 people during his rule.

Halifa Sallah has accused Essa Faal of being part of those who prosecuted him in 1994 while he was fighting against the coup.

Former President Jammeh overthrew former President Jawara in 1994, suspended the constitution and banned all political activities.

Mr Sallah was leader of PDOIS at the time and spent time fighting for the return of democracy which saw the military come after him.

And casting his mind back to his problems, Mr Sallah disclosed independent presidential candidate Essa Faal was working at the justice ministry at the time and took part in his prosecution.

Mr Sallah said during a debate between him and Essa Faal over the weekend: “This my colleague prosecuted me in 1994 whiles I was struggling against a coup. They said I violated Decree No. 4 which banned all political parties from issuing any political statements. I am what, the dictator believing in centralized power? I said it and he’s heard it that this is a country with a constitution and nobody can become president and violate that constitution. There is a judiciary.

“So how can you bring any system in this country other than the system of the republic? What we’re debating on policy [and] since he cannot deal with the policies, he goes into that common saying that people who have no ideas, who are bankrupt of ideas usually do. That they (Halifa and Co) are communists.”

Essa Faal dismissed Halifa’s accusation’s saying he was only holding a briefcases for the prosecutors in the matter.

But Halifa fired back: “Whether briefcase lawyer or whatever, he was there among those people who were prosecuting me.”

The Gambia Press Union has issued a statement over the death on Monday of Freedom newspaper editor Pa Nderry Mbai.

The statement reads: “The board and staff of the Gambia Press Union extend heartfelt condolence to the entire Gambia media fraternity on the demise of journalist Pa Ndery Mbai.

“The death of Mr Mbai was announced Monday, 22nd November, in Raleigh, USA where he had been on exile for more than a decade.

“GPU President Muhammed S Bah said Mr Mbai will be remembered for his braveness and consistency in shining light on the ills of the government and government functionaries.

““Despite the threat on his life and harassment of his family in The Gambia, Pa was consistent in exposing malpractices and giving people access to information that was kept away from the public,” Mr Bah said.

“Therefore, the entire Gambian media join the Mbai family in The Gambia and USA mourning this untimely death of a dear colleague, brother and friend.

“We pray that God bless his soul and give him the highest place in Jannatul Firduas.”

Brave newspaper journalist Pa Nderry Mbai who stood up against the dictatorship of former President Yahya Jammeh has died. Mr Mbai died on Monday in the United States.

As Gambians struggle to come to terms with his sudden demise, Mr Mbai’s last much commended work as a journalist came in July when he reported about corruption at the Kanifing Municipal Council.

His outlet reported that the deputy mayor of KM Musa Bah solicited bribes of up to one million dalasis from a company. The official resigned a few days after the report.

The Freedom newspaper was unrelenting regarding more corruption practices at KMC with the Chief Executive Officer Sainabou Martin Sonko also implicated in Freedom newspaper investigations of stealing millions of dalasis. She has since been suspended amid a government sanctioned probe.

The Freedom received plaudits from a lot of citizens for exposing corruption acts at the Kanifing Municipal Council.

Gambians have been left in a state of shock over the death of journalist Pa Nderry Mbai.

Mr Mbai who is the editor of Freedom newspaper died on Monday in the United States. The last time he updated his website was on November 12.

Journalist Omar Bah who worked with Mr Mbai wrote: “Today I lost a great friend, Pa Nderry MBai. I am in shock. I fought with him, confided with him, struggled with him; we advised each other and showed so much care for each other. He was a true legend who stood tall in his fought for The Gambia. A true journalist who cannot be used for any agenda. I have known him for over 20 years. I remember his brave coverage of the Commission of Inquiry of April 10, 2000; his lead stories at the Daily Observer, The Point, and his regular reporting for the Voice of America.

“We had a wonderful time during attaya moments in The Gambia and the memorable naming ceremony of his daughter in 2001. I vividly remember when in 2004, how excited he was about migrating to America. Once he got to the US, he wasted no time in starting a lifelong brave battle against the dictatorial regime in The Gambia. He was everywhere – from the Gambia Post, AllGambia, and later launching the stature-status medium of Freedom Newspaper/Freedom Radio. He gave all to The Gambia.”

Coach Pasamba Jow said: “Every tyrant survives on mystification , and to defeat them requires demystifying them. This was what Pa Nderry Mbai was able to achieve. He was extremely effective in demystifying Jammeh. In fact, Pa was the TRRC well before there was one. Through his radio and website, he brought us news about Jammeh’s excesses without fear.

“Pa was one person that couldn’t be bought. He was uncompromising to a fault. There is no one he was afraid of pissing off.  I have had many fights and disagreements with him, but who didn’t? He will always call irrespective of how late or early it was- when Pa wanted the news, he saw no obstacles. “ Magji nakam? I am doing this piece for VOA and wanted a short interview “. Of course a short interview meant an hour, he would probe and follow up on every answer. He would end with Jerejeff Coach Kanja.

“Say whatever you want about the brother, but he was a patriot and an icon. He left us way too soon, but has left behind a legacy that people who live for 90 years will only dream of.”

Bakary Samateh said: “So devastated at the loss of Gambian journalist pa ndarry mbai comrade and a mentor at the point newspaper who stood up to helped many young journalists including myself during his time at the point before traveled to USA.

“I personally I am very grateful for everything you have done for me during the difficult times together. Pa definitely you would remember now and forever in the history of Gambian journalists fraternity saddened.”

Ahead of Gambia’s 4th December 2021 presidential election, the Commonwealth recently constituted an election observers mission to observe and monitor the said presidential election in which six Gambians: incumbent President Adama Barrow, Ousainou Darboe, Halifa Sallah, Mama Kandeh, Abdoulie Jammeh and independent candidate Essa Faal are contesting for the country’s highest office.

The head of the mission is former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo. But who is he?

Chief Olusegun Matthew Okikiola Aremu Obasanjo was born in Nigeria on 5th March 1937. He is a retired political and military leader who served as Nigeria’s head of state from 1976 to 1979 and later as its president from 1999 to 2007.

He was a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from 1999 to 2015, and from 2018 has been a member of the African Democratic Congress party. He was born in the village of Ibogun-Olaogun to a farming family of the Owu branch of the Yoruba.

Obasanjo was educated largely in Abeokuta. Joining the Nigerian Army, where he specialised in engineering, he spent time assigned in the Congo, Britain, and India, rising to the rank of major. In the latter part of the 1960s, he played a senior role in combating Biafran separatists during the Nigerian Civil War, accepting their surrender in 1970. In 1975, a military coup established a junta.

After the junta leader Murtala Muhammed was assassinated, the following year, the Supreme Military Council appointed Obasanjo as head of state. Continuing Murtala’s policies, Obasanjo oversaw budgetary cut-backs and an expansion in access to free school education.

Increasingly aligning Nigeria with the United States, he also emphasised support for groups opposing white minority rule in southern Africa. Committed to restoring democracy, Obasanjo oversaw the 1979 election, after which he handed over control of Nigeria to the newly elected civilian president, Shehu Shagari.

He then retired to Ota, Ogun, where he became a farmer, published four books, and took part in international initiatives to end various African conflicts.

In 1993, Sani Abacha seized power in a military coup. Openly critical of Abacha’s administration, in 1995 Obasanjo was arrested and convicted of being part of a planned coup, despite protesting his innocence. While imprisoned, he became a born again Christian, with providentialism strongly influencing his subsequent worldview.

He was released following Abacha’s death in 1998. Entering electoral politics, Obasanjo became the PDP candidate for the 1999 presidential election, which he won comfortably. As president, he de-politicised the military and both expanded the police and mobilised the army to combat widespread ethnic, religious, and secessionist violence. He withdrew Nigeria’s military from Sierra Leone and privatised various public enterprises to limit his country’s spiralling debt. He was re-elected in the 2003 election. Influenced by Pan-Africanist ideas, he was a keen supporter of the formation of the African Union and served as its chair from 2004 to 2006.

In retirement, he earned a PhD in theology from the National Open University of Nigeria.

Obasanjo has been described as one of the great figures of the second generation of post-colonial African leaders. He received praises both for overseeing Nigeria’s transition to representative democracy in the 1970s and for his Pan-African efforts to encourage cooperation across the continent. Critics maintain that he was guilty of corruption, that his administrations oversaw human rights abuses, and that as President he became too interested in consolidating and maintaining his personal power.

Obasanjo has written many books including but not limited to: My Watch Volume 1: Early Life and Military, My Watch Volume 2: Political and Public Affairs, My Watch Volume 3: Now and Then, My Command, Nzeogwu, The Animal Called Man, A New Dawn, The Thabo Mbeki I know, Africa Through the Eyes of A Patriot, Making Africa Work: A handbook, Forging a Compact in U.S. African Relations: The Fifth David M. Abshire Endowed Lecture, 15 December 1987, Africa in Perspective, Letters to Change the World: From Pankhurst to Orwell, Not my Will, Democracy Works: Re-Wiring Politics to Africa’s Advantage, My Watch, Challenges of Leadership in Africa, War Wounds: Development Costs of Conflict in Southern Sudan, Guides to Effective Prayer, The Challenges of Agricultural Production and Food Security in Africa,

Addressing Africa’s Youth Employment and food security Crisis: The Role of African Agriculture in Job Creation, Dust Suspended: A memoir of Colonial, Overseas and Diplomatic Service Life 1953 to 1986, L’Afrique en Marche: un manuel pour la reussite économique, Africa’s Critical Choices: A Call for a Pan-African Roadmap.

He is expected to use his experience to adequately and effectively monitor said presidential election on behalf of the Commonwealth of Nations.