The former vice president, Ousainou Darboe, has disparaged Barrow’s comments that he was sacked from his post for undermining the president’s development efforts.

Darboe, the leader of the United Democratic Party, told party supporters on Monday in a rally in New York, United States, that Barrow’s statement of undermining his development agenda did not hold water.

“If he says I was not doing my work as expected, he should have sacked me long since.”

Darboe said his former protégée is “a disrespectful child” who lacked the humility to be considered a leader of the UDP party.

 “You think you can deceive us and we’ll make you the leader. We will not accept that. A child that has no respect, should not be given the chance to lead the country.”

He said his party is committed to fighting self-perpetuating rule in the country.

“We all agreed that we are going to fight self-perpetuation, that is to say that no one would force himself to be president.

“If he wants, he can form his own political party which can make him the leader. You can’t come and say by force that people should pick you and make you their leader.

“If you want leadership, you have to look for it in respect and humility. You can’t disrespect me, you can’t disrespect the members of UDP and you expect us to make you the leader.”

Darboe added that he did not say he would imposed himself as president of the Gambia but he would fight anyone who wanted to break up the UDP party.