By Adama Makasuba
President Adama Barrow has said anyone who wants to be president of The Gambia would have to wait until 2021.
President Barrow is under pressure to step down in December in line with an agreement that was struck in 2016. The deal says he should serve for only three years but Mr Barrow has gone against it after announcing his intention to stay in office until 2021.
Various political players including some of the country’s political parties have called on him to keep to his word – and at least one pressure group is expected to take to the streets in December to ensure he leaves office.
But speaking at a meeting held in Kaur as part of his nationwide tour, Mr Barrow said those bent on undermining his rule were a few people.
“We are more than them and we will not allow them to destroy our country,” the president warned.
He added: “We can’t do all this massive work…do you think removing Yahya Jammeh was an easy thing? You took that risk by staking your life until you come to this stage and few people in which one of them wants to be a president and wants to set this country on fire? We will not allow that.”
According to Mr Barrow, it is in the interest of anyone wants to be president to try and come through the right channel but “other than that we will not condone ‘back way’ to presidency.”
He said: “And let me tell you, anyone who wants to be the president of The Gambia, 2021 is the time because the field would be level and you would stand a chance of qualifying to be the president. If Gambians choose you, you must take the front gate and not the back gate.
He however called on Gambians to put aside their differences and come together and “develop this country because we have no other place other than Gambia, therefore we will not allow the interest of few to destroy our country for us.”
