By: Dawda Baldeh
Ebrima Nyang, the Administrative Secretary (1) of the opposition Gambia Democratic Congress (GDC), has refuted the Agriculture Minister, Dr. Demba Sabally’s claim that he left GDC for the ruling National People’s Party due to its association with the opposition United Democratic Party, (UDP).
Minister Sabally had last week said he left the GDC for NPP due to their association with the main opposition party, UDP.
However, Ebrima Nyang denied his claims, saying Sabally has an agenda of forming his own political party well before joining the GDC.
Accordingly, Nyang revealed the conflict began when the 3-years ‘Jotna’, a pressure group that was demanding President Barrow to step down and honour his promise to the coalition, led a protest that turned violent.
“Demba Sabally wrote on his Facebook wall after the protesters had confrontations with the security forces ‘We need more tear gas’, a move according to the GDC administrative SG 1, was not in line with the party.
“Hon. Mamma Kandeh asked him (Dr. Demba Sabally) to bring down his post on Facebook else he will be suspended from the party,” he claimed.
He added that Kandeh’s statement didn’t go well with Demba, and he was strictly warned that such posts are against the party’s constitution.
“Kandeh told him that he cannot openly post asking the police to bring more tear gas on the Gambians.”
“If one Gambian is affected is like the entire Gambia is affected.
Even though no GDC member was among the 3-year Jotna executives, but the party has zero tolerance for any kind of violence,” he said.
Nyang added that Mr. Sabally intended to form a political party but at that time he did not know how and where to start, so when GDC was formed with all the structures in place, he joined.
“His agenda after joining the party was to rise beyond anyone so that he can belittle anyone except the party leader…”
Nyang admitted that Mr. Sabally was the one who initiated the idea of having a party national chairman when it was not in the party constitution.
He added that the party constitution was amended, and the position of national chairman was made.
“He later showed interest in vying for the position, and it was given to him, but he never recognized the importance of anyone else.
“His (Demba Sabally) intention was to divide GDC… but he never succeeded. When he knew he will not maintain his position if he goes to Congress, he resigned.
“He met the president who convinced him to join his party but there is no active GDC member he convinced to leave the party,” he noted.
Nyang also attributed ongoing internal conflicts within the National People’s Party to Mr. Sabally’s hunger for a position.
“We all know that there is a lot of internal conflict within the NPP, and all is because of Demba Sabally because he started that at GDC.
“His intention is always to get close to any of the party leadership and belittle everyone else besides President Barrow. I am urging NPP to be very careful and Demba Sabally wants to replace Barrow,” he said.
However, efforts to reach out to Dr. Demba Sabally for his comments remain futile.
