Seedy S. Njie, deputy speaker of the Gambia National Assembly, has described as “false and unfortunate” the comments of Ousainou Darboe, leader of the opposition United Democratic Party.  

Njie’s response comes after a statement issued and signed by lawyer Darboe said that “since the appointment of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly in 2022, the APRC politics of weaponisation of State institutions have made a comeback”.

In his response, DS Njie said: “This statement is false and unfortunate. It is a fact that Mr Darboe weaponised the institutions of state when he was foreign minister and vice president.”

According to Njie, his style of politics has “always been underpinned by respect, maturity and restraint”, adding that “it has been his view that the better and more serious politician is the one who puts across his views without being over-zealous or unmannerly.”

“I plan on always living by this principle. Yet, I want to address UDP leader Ousainou Darboe’s attack on my person and our security forces here.

“It is dishonesty and plain pretense for anyone to suggest that there is no democracy and respect for rule of law in The Gambia. Any honest, truthful, right-thinking and God-fearing Gambian will accept and appreciate the democracy and rule of law reality in The Gambia. To keep repeating that, one would be living a life of idleness,” Njie said.

Reporting by Adama Makasuba