Lawyer Ousainou Darboe, leader of the United Democratic Party (UDP), has cautioned voters against re-electing President Adama Barrow.
As a key figure in the coalition that supported Barrow’s 2016 presidential bid, Darboe claims the president has reneged on crucial promises and disregarded the interests of his former supporters.
Darboe made these remarks at Fatou Saine Sabally’s Kafoo meeting held in Farato over the weekend.
“You were the ones who trusted President Adama Barrow and voted him into office in the 2016 presidential election. The reasons behind this were that he was backed by the coalition with the belief that he would work for us, but he in turn betrayed all of our trust. President Adama Barrow is not someone to be trusted, so don’t give him your votes,” Darboe stated, adding, “They have filled your brains with empty promises. How is it today? Everyone is regretting voting for him. Let’s refuse to repeat the same mistake by voting for him again.You [the supporters of UDP] should be thinking of voting massively to usher in a UDP government in 2026. This requires a lot of work and the burden lies in you, and not Yankuba Darboe, Lamin Manneh, Amadou Sanneh or me. The onus lies in you. If you wish, it’s all yours.”
The UDP leader pointed out that the UDP is here to salvage the country.
“We are doing this for ourselves, and if you wish not to vote for the UDP government, perhaps Lamin Manneh may go back to his consultancy job, Yankuba Darboe, too may go back to the United Kingdom to continue practicing law, and I may sit in my chamber,” said Darboe.
Darboe indicated that his jaws dropped when he recently visited the country’s main referral hospital in the capital city.
“I was flabbergasted on my visit to the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital. What I saw at the hospital was terrible and I was dumbfounded. I saw patients being admitted on cold concrete floors with mattresses strewn all over the hospital while passersby are milling around the hospital. Is this how our hospitals are supposed to be?” Darboe asked rhetorically, stating that hospitals in the country lack essential drugs.
