Firebrand opposition member of the Gambia’s legislature Bakary K. Badjie said President Adama Barrow must leave the stage in eight month’s time, emphasising that the “President must go in 2026” slogan should be sung and vigorously pursued.
“It’s a slogan that we must sing and we stand by it,” Badjie, who represents the Foni Bintang Karanai constituency in the House, said during the legislature’s adjournment debate recently.
The Karanai representative hinted that no amount of intimidation or challenge can break his resolve to help build The Gambia.
“Honourable Speaker, the President must go. When some of us remember where we come from, we are not easily intimidated by anything,” he emphasized, adding,”Honourable Speaker, we have a nation to build and in the process of building our nation, we know it will be hard, it will be challenging but we are ready to overcome the challenges that we are faced with. And nothing, nothing I said… nothing can stop us from conquering this battle. I’ll tell you that for free.”
Badjie warned against what he believed was the manipulation of Alkalolu by the government.
“Honourable Speaker, I want to remind the Gambian people, I want to remind the government, especially that the Alkalos are not servants of the government,” the Karanai MP said in an uncompromising tone. He continued: “The Alkalos are not your agents that should be there…that you should impose whatever you want to impose on them. Be very, very careful of this reality. Most of you will see Alkalos are under the government because you have paid them little money and you want them to stand by you. The Alkalos are there for all the opposition of this country and the Alkalos are there for all the Gambian people. The Alkalos are not only there to be used by the government. It’s not realistic, it’s not sustainable and we must desist from that.”
Badjie contended that the President’s “claim” about providing 90% electricity access in his State of the Nation Address (SONA) did not reflect the reality.
He explained that 17 villages out of 43 communities in his constituency have yet to be connected to the national electricity grid.
“Where is the 90% that you are claiming? As much as we are talking, let’s talk about the realities… I challenge you [ President Barrow] to come up with the plain truth. And if things are difficult with us, let us say as it is. Let us say it’s difficult. We must all stand and find solutions to the challenges that we face,” said legislator Badjie.
He described the arrest of Ousainou Bojang as unconstitutional, advising the government to desist from such.
