Ousainou Darboe, former vice president of the Gambia, has spoken publicly for the first time since his sacking on Friday and joked about his falling out with President Barrow.

Darboe, the leader of the United Democratic Party (UDP) , was addressing supporters who converged at his residence on Sunday to show their solidarity with him.

“I think the bus conductor has decided it is my time to get off the bus,” Darboe joked prompting uproar of laughter from the crowd.

He said his sacking was a positive thing as he had been freed from the burden of governing to pursue other interests adding that “I can now fly anywhere I wanted. I am now a free man.”

Darboe urged his supporters to remain law-abiding and called on UDP National Assembly members to avoid politicising the assembly.

He also urged them to exercise restraint in Ya Kumba’s landmark case at the Supreme Court pointing out that the substantive matter of the case was yet to be decided.

Darboe was sacked on Friday alongside two other senior cabinet ministers in a major cabinet reshuffle by President Barrow.

He had a falling out with President Barrow, who was once his mentee and political godson, after Barrow expressed his intention of seeking a second term as president. Darboe has not made secret of his presidential ambition.

His sacking had been rumoured for a very long time on social media platforms. Many political pundits had predicted the falling out between the two and maintained that Darboe’s sacking was only a matter of “when and not if”.