Samba Jallow, House Minority Leader, has distanced himself from the statement made by some members of the National Assembly condemning President Barrow’s dismissal of the nominated MP Ya Kumba Jaiteh.

The Niamina Dankunku MP said on Tuesday that the statement made by the Majority Leader of the House, Kebba K Barrow, did not represent the position of the National Assembly nor his party, National Reconciliation Party (NRP), adding  that it was a partisan ploy to discredit the president.  

Jallow said no consensus was reached during a caucus meeting held on Monday and that it was disingenuous on the part of the Majority Leader to use a caucus attendance list to distort it as a resolution.  

“ We are not in or against the revocation of Ya Kumba Jaiteh’s nomination. The issue at hand, is an ambiguity over a constitutional power. Decisions reached at caucus are not binding on the Assembly. It does not represent the decision of the National Assembly in Chambers. It is a forum where MPS doubts and concerns are clarified. 

“If the resolution was intended to have the backing of the National Assembly, it should have been drafted in a proper motion form condemning the act and submitted it to the Clerk of the National Assembly for it to be included in the business of the Assembly in the fourth coming session scheduled in March.”  

“The effect of such kind of motion is limited because the issue at hand is about a constitutional provision, which has a competent authority to deal with. Hence, that is why when the issue of Kumba Jaiteh’s case was raised, I and some colleagues recommended to the caucus that the matter should be forwarded to the Attorney General’s Chambers for legal advice.

“Our position was to seek legal advice from the AG Chambers; then we can know what line of action to take moving forward.”  

Jallow said the Supreme Court of The Gambia has the original legal jurisdiction on matters relating to constitutional interpretation and dispute.