The National People’s Party’s Banjul campaign team has been accused of squandering a whopping 2.7 million dalasis given by President Adama Barrow for his re-election bid last year.

The team is said to have spent less than 500,000 dalasis.

Speaking at a press conference in Banjul organised by women and youth groups of Banjul, Dou Njie, detailed how NPP suffered a shock defeat in Banjul in the parliamentary election. He blamed “unscrupulous” actions of the party’s campaign team in the capital city.

“We budgeted 800,000 but President Barrow gave us 2 million dalasis. And his ministers of Claudinia Cole, Mambury Njie, Bai Lamin Jobe, Sheikh Omar Faye in fact they were six people and each donated 100,000 dalasis and other two people donated the same amount.

“So, we are talking about 2.7 million dalasis. That’s what the Banjul people got to campaign for the presidential campaign. But less than 500,000 that’s what they spent. And we went to report the matter to Barrow but he didn’t take action and the Banjul people got angry,” he said.

“The executive was a problem and we have James Gomez the fisheries minister who came with his choice and Mbye Gaye came with his choice and there was a tough dispute. Then Barrow came with his final decision and told Mbye Gaye to make his final executive and he chose his executive.

“There was also a push and pull at the revelation of the members of the executive at the Atlantic hotel which caused a fraction in Banjul and people were having meetings in different parts of Banjul,” the group said through its spokesman. 

“We had a fraction in Banjul and we were having meetings. Banjul is Barrow and still Barrow is Barrow and he said anyone can stay,” he added.

Reporting by Adama Makasuba