UDP leader Ousainou Darboe blasted as foolish talk claims by President Adama Barrow he never held a press conference while former President Yahya Jammeh was in power.
President Barrow strongly came after UDP and Darboe on Saturday saying the UDP leader was desperate to become president – and that UDP was recruiting thugs who wear black outfits and profile Gambians.
But speaking Sunday in Farato, Mr Darboe fired back: “I was so sad. Yesterday, our nation’s leader, the person who has the last word, the person whom the whole country should place their hope in… There are things happening in this country these days, things that can cause violence and yet you do not say anything to make it clear such things should not happen in the country.
“The incident in Jambur and the person behind it is a top official of his party. He went there and said he is a diplomat and he should get preference treatment. The IEC had told their officers that only party leaders should get that. But the IEC never said a secretary general or a UDP top official or or an APRC top official. The IEC only talked about party leaders. But you then come and say you’re NPP and wants to force yourself to the extent of fighting a police officer. But the president speaks to the nation and never condemns it.
“Also the incident that happened in Manduar happened and the president sits and says he will not talk. And he says we’re just talking. Yes we will continue talking because if we didn’t talk, you would not have been in power. We will continue to speak until this nation is salvaged. But what did he say? Diplomat attack and that he himself is a foreigner. Such foolish talk!
“You invite the country’s leaders and say such things and tell them he (Darboe) never held a press conference. That is a false statement. The day we were going out on the streets where I said if a bullet was going to hit anyone it was going to hit me first he was sitting. The day was declaring to run as presidential candidate for United Democratic Party, it was a press conference I held.
“So if this president doesn’t know I have been holding press conferences before he came, there are two things: one, he doesn’t speak the truth or he doesn’t know what is going on in this country. So he has shown to Gambians the kind of leader he is. And people should be careful when choosing. Someone who would never say something that one could believe?”
