By: Muhammed Lamin Drammeh
Ahmad Gitteh, the ‘defeated’ candidate at the National People’s Party’s (NPP) West Coast Region (WCR) primary today, has said he was reported to President Adama Barrow that he insulted the parents of his ministers, as he stomped out of a private discussion with the selection committee without the presence of the media amidst allegations of him insulting ministers.
Gitteh, who claimed that he won last week’s primaries, remarked in the ball today that he was not going to contest and decided not to involve in what the NPP press secretary called a family discussion when Gitteh demanded for his photo on the ballot box before the election today. He asserted that he was accused and reported of insulting the mothers of ministers to the president.
“They asked for us to have a discussion, but I told them that I am scared of them without the media,” he told his supporters after matching out.
He went further: “What will be said there, I don’t know. You are all aware that, I didn’t insult anyone, but they (NPP selection committee) think I did. They went and told the president that I insulted the mothers of the ministers,” he claimed, while telling his supporters the reason he failed to be part of the ‘family discussion’.
Ahmad Gitteh was supposed to be in for a runoff primary with Seedy Ceesay after the selection committee declared that both candidates scored 30 votes each in last week’s primary, a result Gitteh claimed was faulted because he had won.
Today, before the runoff began, Ahmad Gitteh left the hall after informing the delegates that he was not there for a rerun, but instead, was there to claim his victory.
However, the selection committee proceeded with voting and out of 76 votes, 22 voted in favour of Ahmad Gitteh while 46 opted for the eventual winner, Seedy Ceesay.
