(JollofNews) – Few hours after President Jammeh’s declaration on Friday that he will transform the Gambia into an Islamic state, Gambians from across the globe have totally debunk his declaration.
The Gambian leader who has now taken a new trend of making surprise declarations recently, especially during his Dialogue with the people’s tour, is totally rejected by Gambians in his latest move.
Reactions coming from both within and outside the country show that people are not happy with the president’s declaration and have considered it as a total violation of the country’s constitution, which states that The Gambia is secular state.
Activists, rights groups, and many other individual Gambians have initiated and online campaign to challenge the president’s declaration by using #Notinmyname to show that they did not agree with the president’s pronouncement.
According to a report on Al Jazeera news network, Hamat Bah, leader of the opposition National Reconciliation Party (NRP) criticised the decision. “There is a constitutional clause that says that Gambia is a secular state,” he said. “You cannot make such a declaration without going through a referendum.”
The Gambia’s Supreme Islamic Council president Momodou Lamin Touray, also told Al Jazeera that the council have heard Jammeh’s declaration but is yet to discuss on it.
Former Gambian Foreign Affairs minister Sidi Sanneh, wrote on his Facebook page: “If Yahya Jammeh is allowed to stay in office, who remains unchecked, he will represent a clear and present danger to his immediate neighbors and the sub-region at large, especially at a time when ISIS, Boko Haram and AQIM are not only sources of security concern but they pose serious threat to the peace and stability of countries around the globe. The United States and allies must start taking this lunatic seriously before he plunges West Africa into total and absolute chaos.”
The Diaspora based Gambian group NRMG said: “Declaring The Gambia an “Islamic State” without the prerequisite constitutional reforms is simply an insult to the Gambian people. Both the second Republican Constitution and the one before, sell our country as a “Secular State” which can only be undone by a two third majority vote of the National Assembly and a Referendum. For pariah of a leader both nationally and internationally, cash-trapped and near bankruptcy, to think that by such a declaration he could win the sympathy of the wealthy member states of the OIC, Jammeh is only proving that the only thing consistent about him is his inconsistency. Remember the GAMCOTRAP duo case many years ago and the current stance of the dictatorship on Female Genital Mutilation, FGM. Besides, the medium and longer term consequences of a rash and silly decision such as this can only generate catastrophic consequences for a small and peace-loving nation like ours.”
Meanwhile, Gambian journalists, human rights and online activists such as Amadou Scattred Janneh, Fatou Camara, Sam Phatey, Ebrima Silllah, Tukulor Sy, Pa Nderry Mbai, Essa Bokar Sey, Mama Linguere Sarr, Demba N. Njie, Nanama Keita, Yankuba Senhore and many others, have debunked the president’s declaration.
Efforts to reach out to the Gambia Christian Council, Gambia Pastoral Institute (GPI), The Methodist Mission, Catholic and Angelical missions proved futile.
