This is in response to a statement made by Essa N’jie of the University of The Gambia, published in the Standard Newspaper 28th October 2022 edition, in which he accused the United Democratic Party (UDP) of being “not very different from NPP when it comes to fighting corruption”.

He went on to suggest that the UDP failed to use “their majority” in the coalition government to fight corruption, instead were emboldening President Barrow, and cited the anonymous vehicle donation to the National Assembly and the President’s first trip to the UNGA meeting in New York as examples to buttress his point.

Contrary to these claims, the UDP never dominated the government when part of the coalition led by President Adama Barrow. 

The party had only three ministers in the cabinet, out of 15 or so. It also lost its parliamentary majority at the early stage when eight of its NAMs shifted loyalty to Barrow, leading to their expulsion from the party.

Moreover, it is false to suggest that UDP ministers somehow had a domineering influence over Barrow. 

On the contrary, they had a frosty relationship with him, which the public weren’t seeing, because they were pushing back against things they consider not to be in the national interest. 

Amadou Sanneh, the former Finance Minister, in particular is said to have had numerous disagreements with President Barrow who was relying on his own inner cabal for advice, instead of the UDP ministers.

At no time did the UDP had control over what the President does or doesn’t, and certainly weren’t in a position to decide who joins a presidential delegation and who doesn’t, or what number. 

That was exclusively a matter for the Office of the President to determine, the same people who were pushing a wedge between President Barrow and the UDP from day one, telling the former that he is the president and not Darboe.

On the vehicle donation, the suggestion there too is false. The UDP did not state anywhere that it supported the donation. 

On the contrary, the UDP leader raised concern with the President in private in line with convention. 

He could not have come out publicly to criticise or condemn him on the issue whilst still in the government for that’s not how government works. 

If Essa N’jie doesn’t understand that, then he is, not to put too fine a point on it, intellectually inept.

The only public pronouncement the UDP leader made on the vehicle donation issue was in response to PDOIS’ leaders whose party had earlier on received similar gift donated through President Barrow for Coalition 2016, without questioning the source, which makes it all too legitimate for the UDP leader to call out their double standard. 

He did not in anyway or form express approval for the donations, which were in fact made to a state institution, the National Assembly, and not to any private individual or entity.

Why didn’t they resign?? – the question cynics would ask

The question I know cynics would ask is ‘why didn’t they resign?’ Well, they knew very well that their resignations would cost the country a lot, especially in terms of the knock on effect on donor confidence. That’s why they didn’t. 

The NDP failed and the pledges not realised because the UDP Ministers who spearheaded it, were no longer in government.

The OIC was going well and according to schedule until when the UDP Ministers were kicked out of government. They were the ones leading the resource mobilisation on that programme too. 

The fact of the matter is that the UDP for the most part, was forced to concentrate on their ministerial portfolios and have registered tremendous successes in the areas within these remits. 

They had no domineering influence or control whatsoever, over areas outside their ministerial remits.

I’m afraid Essa N’jie has betrayed an important virtue of an intellectual, honesty. He was not only unfair to the UDP, but also utterly disingenuous in his pronouncements.

SS Daffeh

Concern UDP Member, 

England, United Kingdom