The Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC) has vowed to stage demonstration tomorrow even without a police permit.

The opposition party is holding a rally to call for the return of its leader and former president Yahya Jammeh.

Mr Jammeh, who ruled The Gambia for 22 years with an iron fist, is living exile in Equatorial Guinea. In a leaked WhatsApp audio last week, Jammeh called on his party supporters to peacefully demonstrate for his return.

It is not yet clear if police will issue a protest permit to the APRC party. On Monday police refused a protest permit to political pressure group Operation Three Years citing national security concerns. The group had planned to stage a protest on January 19 to demand President Barrow to stepdown from power.

Speaking to journalists today, the party’s deputy spokesman Dodou Jah said: “…not yet been issued but nonetheless we have decided we will go ahead with or without it (permit).”

He cited section 25 of the 1997 Constitution which guarantees right to peaceful assembly, adding “we are not doing any protest, we are calling it a peaceful demonstration and we are not going out to break the law.”

Mr Jah called on the police to explain their last press release which cited national security threat saying his party is neither asking Barrow to step down nor supporting Operation Three Years Jotna pressure group.

Reporting by Adama Makasuba