Lawyer Mai Ahmed Fatty, a leading figure in the coalition team has said nothing can stop the inauguration of President-elect Barrow on the 19th January.
“There is no force on earth to stop the inauguration of President-elect Barrow not Jammeh or APRC supporters except God,” Lawyer Fatty insisted.
Speaking to journalist at a press conference held at Kairaba Beach, Lawyer Fatty argued that the ruling party may file a thousand injunctions in the court but it cannot stop the inauguration of President-elect Barrow from taking place.
Lawyer Fatty said the mandate of the people have shifted to the President-elect. He argued that the entire membership of the coalition have conducted itself in accordance with the law. He further argued that the failure of the outgoing President to empaneled the court which he said was not their difficulty but was the president’s own challenge, adding that the actions of the APRC supporters at the court was very illegal and disrespectful to the laws of the highest court of the country.
“The Supreme Court has its rules that are grounded. It states that at least five judges must preside over a matter,” Fatty pointed out.
The seasoned lawyer questioned the legality of a single judge to sit over a matter to the point of adjourning it. “How does he adjourn it? Did he have the jurisdiction? Jurisdiction is key in administering justice,” he stated.
However, Lawyer Fatty said he was not trying to interfere into the merits of the case which he said is not allow but noted that they were provoked by the remarks of the alleged Minister of Information Seedy Njie who has told the international media the filing of the petition has empowered the outgoing president to stay in power untill May. He rubbished his statements as baseless, unfounded and lacked wisdom.
“They are trying to preempt the court that is not yet empaneled and the law has specified that the petition should be treated not more than 30 days” he said.
Lawyer Fatty said the Supreme Court is not yet fully constituted as the judges are yet to arrive and sworn-in. He added that the matter cannot be heard until sometime in May by that time president-elect would be president as Jammeh’s term would expire in January 19th.
Lawyer Fatty has pointed out that the filing of petition is not different from ordinary petition in court, saying that filing thousand injunctions cannot stop the inauguration. He said the petition does not affect them because they are not party to the case.
Meanwhile, Lawyer Fatty called on supporters to prepare and come out in their large numbers to grace the occasion at the Independence Stadium on the 19th, 2017. He reminded that nothing would stop them not even a so-called state of emergency. He said they would respect the laws of the land but not directives or whatever from any individual.
