A former British Prime Minister Harold Wilson once said, that “A week is a long time in politics”
As December 4th beckons, battle lines have been drawn between arguably the two of the main political parties that are going to fight it out in what is largely seen as bragging rights between United Democratic Party (UDP) and the breakaway faction of the party later consolidated as National People’s Party (NPP) of incumbent Gambian President Adama Barrow.
President Barrow said that as far as the December 4th election was concerned, death would be better than the embarrasment of losing the election to fierce political rivals, UDP as he addressed a group of sympathisers who visited him at the State House a few weeks ago! You get the drift why the 2021 Presidential elections will be a matter of do or die for both NPP and UDP for various reasons.
Ten days ago, Gambian social media was awash with news and photos of two top officials of the Barrow for 5 years, an important group backing the NPP breaking ranks with the party and joining UDP as fight for 1 Marina Parade intensifies.
Abdou Willian and Omar Sanyang officially joined the UDP, posing with party leader Ousainou Darboe and other top officials of party. Momodou Sabally, famously referred to as “Commando” was credited with the scoop for the top Barrow for 5 years Group.
Fast forward just a little over a week, photos and videos emerged on Thursday in which one of the newly acquired millitant - Abdou Willan announced his return to NPP, later claiming that his move to UDP was a trick to gather vital information from the rival party. It remains to be seen what sort of vital information Mr Willian may have gathered in the ten days he’d joined UDP.
What is clear though is that nothing should be taken for granted as the price of 1 Marina Parade is laid on the table, as well as the price of dignified livelihoods for the Gambian people hangs in the balance.
Gambians must take December 4th as the most important day of their lives as the threat of politics of deception at the expense of the greater good of the nation lays at stake.
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