By: Muhammed Lamin Drammeh
Despite accusing the judiciary and the police of conniving with President Adama Barrow amidst Momodou Sabally’s arrest and ahead of the local government elections, United Democratic Party leader Ousainou AN Darboe has told the press that his party will take the country in local government elections and that they will not be intimidated.
The UDP party leader uttered this in a press briefing held at the party’s bureau in Manjai on Saturday 24th December while addressing the press on the arrest and detention of the party’s new general campaign manager, Momodou Sabally.
“What is happening is that the judiciary and the police are conniving with Adama Barrow, because they know the local government elections are coming; they are losing grounds, so this is a way to intimidate people. We will never be intimidated! We will definitely take this country, and we are prepared to take the country. If you mean taking the country means taking government, well, that is your interpretation,” lawyer Darboe, in optimism, uttered.
On Wednesday evening, the Gambia Police announced the arrest of UDP’s Momodou Sabally in connection to a purported planned coup that emerged on Tuesday evening. The arrest and eventual detention, according to the police, was in connection to a TikTok video circulating online where Sabally addressed ‘UDP TikTokers’.
The former Vice President informed the press that Sabally’s arrest has been planned several months ago. He revealed that some time ago, an audio was received from an NPP member who called for the silence of Momodou Sabally and Ebrima Dibba, both members of UDP.
He said the NPP’s plans are hatched now, and the judiciary is being used in the ‘unholy act’.
“This is a scheme that had been conceived several months ago. The evil scheme that they conceived has now been hatched, and unfortunately, the judiciary has been used in this unholy act”, Darboe voiced.
According to Lawyer Ousainou AN Darboe, Sabally never said they will take over the government. He emphatically told the press that Sabally said the UDP will lock the country, which is in essence means the party will lock up the country so that President Barrow will find it uncomfortable to go to any part of the country.
“If Sabally said we will lock this country, what is wrong with that? Does that tantamount to taking over this government?” he asked.
He said Sabally’s continuous detention is an abuse of judicial process.
“We want to assure you all that, in fact, what is happening is just an abuse of judicial process”, he asserted.
The Fatu Network understands that some youths are planning a protest on Monday against the detention of Mr. Momodou Sabally. Additionally, an unconfirmed judiciary source tells this medium that Momodou Sabally would be charged for treason.
