(JollofNews) – The Gambian head of electoral commission has used his first interview with a Gambian newspaper to reveal how former President Yahya Jammeh had tried to get him kill in a desperate bid to cling to power.
Alieu Momarr Njai, who presided over last December’s election in which Mr Jammeh was defeated by an alliance of opposition parties headed by Adama Barrow, said agents of the regime had tried to kill him after he refused to doctor the election results.
He added when Mr Jammeh realised that he was losing to the opposition including in his own stronghold, he tried to use the security agents to force him to change the results in his favour. He added that the plan was for him to come up with his own figures different from those sent from polling stations across the country.
“It will then take them a day or two to come with all the results in possession of party agents. They will then be collated and it will be discovered that it’s Jammeh who won not the Coalition,” he told the Standard Newspaper.
Mr Njai said he refused and was put under so much pressure to an extent that he thought he was going to be killed on the night of the election.
“It got to a point I feared for my life. My son, Omar, has a black Audi and I was able to use another phone to call him to park the car near IEC, so that when it comes to the point, I could disappear,” he added.
Mr Njai said despite the threats and intimidation, he refused to yield. And as he continued to announce the correct results, he was asked to take a break.
He added: “We were receiving the results as they were coming and we were asked to suspend [the announcement of the results] on the orders of the president, through GRTS. I know my life was at risk. That was why whenever they asked me to do something I would go downstairs where everybody was present and say this is what I am being asked to do loudly. Because whatever I was doing, it was monitored, so that they would know that I am passing over their message. The risks! I could have been injected to have a heart attack. But how can I change the result?”
He added that he refusal to yield had forced Mr Jammeh to concede defeat to the opposition on national television.
“I’m God-fearing and anybody who knows me is well aware of my participation in religious affairs. I thank God, that although I am over 80 years-old, I am very strong and would not have changed the results even if Jammeh were to give me a billion Dollars.
Mr Njai, added that the threats to his life got worse after Mr Jammeh rejected the results after conceeding defeat.
“The election happened on 1st December and ended on 2nd December but I was[in the country until 31st January. But I got the information that they were going to kill me… or yeah, he was going to kill me. I phoned the Senegalese ambassador to the Gambia, Saliou Ndiaye, of and told him that they were coming for me and I didn’t want to go to any foreign embassy, I wanted to go to Senegal. He drove to my house, picked me up and he was in the same car with me, foot-to-foot all the way to Karang.
“While in Senegal they gave me a general by the name Niang. General Niang provided for me round-the-clock escort and security. I also knew President Barrow, when he went to Mali and later travelled to Senegal, if he had landed in the Gambia, no matter how many people were going to be around him, he was going to be killed. They would have exterminated him. That was why he was moved to Senegal. So I stayed [in Senegal] until Yahya Jammeh was out of the Gambia and eventually came home.
“Look, six months after the election, my personal orderly who I inherited from the former chairman, ran away. Yes! He ran away because when they were investigating what was happening at Kanilai, he was found to be one of the leaders of the ‘Junglers’. And I knew he was one of them.”
PapaK
What an honorable and upright citizen who was true to the Gambia even when his own life was at risk. Mr Njie you surely deserve our gratitude. Mr Njie has confirmed the threat to Barrow’s life at that time. So those who have been saying that there was no threat to his life are either disingenuous or hypocrites. More revelations will be made in the forth coming Truth Reconciliation and Reparation Commission. Sidi Bojang, Koto Babu and Mike and waiting for your “expert” contributions on this article.
Dealing with a brutal dictator you have to sacrifice, if not many people will died this is no doubt, thank you Mr momarr njai, you save the Gambia, God bless you and your families and those support and help you.
In the midst of tyranny I came across several high officials who flouted their own safety to protect others, including members of the APRC government.
It was obvious that Mr Njai was under significant pressure from above, with the taking over of his Office by special forces. For several days, we feared the worst and were relieved by the best outcome for all. Please accept my admiration to all who were under the strong influence of the devil and spit in his face.
Many of us are not surprised by this revelations. We all knew Yaya will try to cling on by any means necessary this is what dictators do. I stayed up all night on election night to listen to results tricking in. One could sense Mr Njie was under tremendous pressure, his speech was slurred and he was breathing heavy so there is no doubt about his courage. I commend him for standing up to the dictator and his murderers, he made a name for himself in our history books.
May the All-Mighty Allah keep you long enough with us Honourable N’Jie. I was literally thousands of miles from The Gambia but I was trembling with fear for your life on that historic night of December 1st, 2016, knowing full well what could have happened to you! May God bless you for your national sacrifice!
This is what national duty calls for,you swore to serve without fear or favour,affection or ill will.I only hope and pray that your successors will learn from your courage and Allah fearing nature in the execution of such an important office.May Allah grant you long life and good health.You are no doubt, a role model.
Buba Sanyang,
From all psychological indications, the facial expressions of this old Banjul boy shows he’s a LIAR, a CROOK, a DECEIVER.
According to what most of you have been saying, would you ever believe anyone who worked with President Jammeh? Why believe this late untruthful revelation of a LIAR, a CROOK, a DECEIVER?
Where are the D450,000 President Jammeh gave him? Will he refund that money to the coffers, and say, I’m honest, I’m truthful, this is the Gambian people’s money and it was illegally given to me by President Jammeh to announce the election results in his favour? He will NEVER do that.
This is where I always differ with you my brother, Buba. It’s hard to take me on board. Not by hearsay anyway and not by revelations in absentia of the accused.
How many of those who worked with President Jammeh are sincere and honest today?
Remember when you branded me as a disgrace to the Gambian intellectuals. That’s your personal assessment of me, which I cannot refute. But I can defend myself that I differ with most of you from the intellectual perspective. That is I belong to the school of Pan-Africanist revolutionary brand of intellectuals and despise those pseudo reactionary bourgeosie neocolonialist African “intellectual” sellouts!
That’s my difference with you and most of the on-line contributors plus their INEPT, CORRUPT, TRIBALIST, INEFFICIENT, REACTIONARY, NEOCOLONIAL, BOURGEOSIE regime at Fajara.
Babu Soli
A true Pan African will not rejoice in the mass killings of fellow Africans except the one with a disturbed mind. A true Pan African will not condone the plunder of the sovereign wealth of an African nation for the benefit of only friends, families and cronies except those with disturbed minds. The only brand of thought you inhibited in this forum is selfishness, arrogance, pomposity and dishing out of insults as a brand. We have come to recognize who our intellectuals are and Babu Soli will never be among those esteemed group of our people. You are just a hateful partisan dictator loving idiot with no ideas. A disgraceful tired ass lying bigot who sold his hairy ass hole to the devil Jammeh to mount.
Babu, where’s your evidence of the D450, 000 to Mr Njie…?
If it’s for ‘election announcement’ it should be found on the IEC expenses…
The amount diva she-devil zeinab suma spent on shoes &/ make up alone would be more than this amount…
While Mr Njie is just confirming what most of us know already about the devilish hatch plans…
Can you proven the runaway secret agent assigned to spy & planned to take out Mr Njie wasn’t a kanilai fiefdom jungler…?
The facts are on the ground already, babu…
Nasty Natty Dread,
The nasty killings of our innocent people took place under your BASTARDLY eyes in 1981 when the PPP government sent Senegalese forces to massacre our people. Why are you STUPIDLY silent about that NASTY episode in our history?
The plundering of our resources took place under your BASTARDLY eyes from Independence day on Thursday February 18th 1965 to 22nd July 1994 with the USELESS Jawara administration. Where were you sitting on your ASS?
I said on several occasions that I will come very hard and harsh on the IDIOT, BASTARD in the name of Nasty Natty Dread. I have due respect for all my brethren who address me the cordial and respectful manner expect a BASTARD called Nasty Natty Dread. Who says he cares your classification of IDIOTIC intellectuals? I am what I am and know what I know, I do a what I have to, so I’m satistified and happy about myself.
I have no remorse for addressing you in any nasty and crude manner, because you deserve all the vituperative language I can vet on an IDIOT like you. You IMBECILE!
Babu Soli; I will consider network ban on you, because you are not civilised. Further more we are monitoring your activities on this website,
Babu Soli
I am an imbecile and a bastard but when i look around i remember another dirty BASTARD by the name of Babu Soli. You illegitimate son of illegitimate parents. BOOO!
Babu Soli
Go hard on your ugly Fulani wife with your shaggy old penis as Natty Dread ain’t interested nor afraid of your vile threats. When are you going to register this in your shallow head what i told you. I am immune to your insults. You disgraceful useless good for nothing asshole. A fake God damned professor with no ideas except insults and now calling himself Pan African. How dare you called Momar Njie a liar, a crook and a deceiver while offering your hairy asshole to a devil by the name of Yahya Jammeh, who committed the most abominable crimes against our people. You have devalued the school of Pan Africanism by calling yourself a member. You are nothing of value to our struggle to create a better homeland for our people. You wasteful son of our dear Motherland. Bring it on Babu! Natty Dread ain’t for turning, not for a feeble petty old brain full of hate but devoid of ideas. Please return to the sewage as that is where you belong.
Babu, 1981 was of the making of kukoi samba sanyang devil principally, & other equivalent hand in glove mercenaries…
Jawara, just like the ecomig intervention currently, sought to restore democratic constitutional order mandatory as entrusted legitimately by the peasantry Gambia…
Just in legendary Gambian proverbial ‘Saytan la kunko’ – ‘Satan’s farm’; where all & everybody (must) expect to toil a row of crops (out of choice)’; in expectation of one’s own share of bad omens sown for everybody in the very same community…
Babu, ask your kanilai killer evilness to come back to face the truth & reconciliation, with right guarantee; old boy jawara is in Gambia after the afprc commission & he’s still available for any legal proceedings you may intend to constitute against…
Or ‘kataato later kunko’ as said in other areas of Gambia…
‘Kataato la kunko’ it meant to read, thank you…
One should add that Jammeh is the reincarnation of Kukoi! I hope we have called it a day for such experiments. A lesson ofcourse being that we don’t allow weak and disturbed personalities hijack our stride towards a better country. At the same time we must deliver for our peoples -socio-economically. So that they don’t fall prey to flattery of dotards like Kukoi; Jammeh and you name it!
Koto Babu, I just want clarifications on few points before I can respond properly to you. Are you saying that you have factual evidence that Mr Njie was given money that was not his salary by Jammeh? And the amount was D450,000? What was the purpose of this money?? Please am looking forward to your answers to these questions, because that will help me in understanding Mr Njie better. Thanks.
Tafel,
Come on you IDIOT. I am never cowed by a human soul, you IMBECILE. Are you siding with a BASTARD called Nasty Natty Dread who started insulting me? You untruthful IDIOT. Why didn’t you caution that Nasty IDIOT for initiating the insults before coming up with your FOOLISH threatening statement you good-for-nothing!
Nasty Dreadful Natty Dread, The Liar,
You are LYING that you are not bothered about my insults. Why respond, then? You are LYING that I insult my country women/men. I vehemently respond to Nasty BASTARD Natty Dread’s insults and abusive language, the only person that has continuously and persistently insulted me.
My professionalism will NEVER stop me from responding VERY harshly to a BASTARD and an uncouthed IDIOT, like you Nasty Natty.
My Fula woman is clean, decent, loving, charming, Allah-fearing and honest to her husband and family. She has Allah on her side that’s why she’s líving a very happy and comfortable life.
But what about that Mauritian bound BASTARD who’s living a wild life? May I say that your horrendous life is the result of your parents’ horrendous life they led before begetting a BASTARD child?
Bajaw,
Kukoi’s revolution(though I don’t share it myself) was a result of the decadent situation in The Gambia since 1965. Nothing improved since we were politically independent in 1965 coupled with persisitent nepotism, tribalism, infleunce-peddling, corruption……which geered the Kukoi upheaval.
But under which terms of the bilateral treaty were the Senegalese invading forces commandeered by Jawara to invade, maim, rape and kill our innocent people?
When the advanced world takes stock of every matter how long it takes, we Gambians are akin to keeping quiet about matters that do not conmensurate with our liking.
Babu Soli
When are you going to grow up silly old man? It is always somebody else’s fault but not Babu soli or Yahya Jammeh. It is justifiable for Jammeh to kill his political opponents and perceived enemies in the name of national security but unjustifiable for President Jawara to solicited the help of Senegalese Military to restore constitutional order in our homeland when it was attacked by lawless Kukoi and his band of bandits. It is justifiable for Babu Soli to dish out insults to anybody who speak the truth about Jammeh’s brutality, corruption and wickedness but unjustifiable when Natty Dread counter his lies and hatred peddling towards President Barrow and members of his administration. Yahya Jammeh and his band of toy soldiers robbed, raped, disappeared, tortured and killed our people for 22 long years and Babu Soli saw or heard anything but appeared well informed when it comes to inseminating false and misleading stories about outstanding members of this government or anybody who say anything negative about Jammeh even if it’s the truth. In your small darkened world of lies, intrigue and hate only two men passed the test of integrity…. yourself and Yahya Jammeh. Again after being cornered it is Natty Dread who initiated the insults. You stinky gutless, ball-less coward. A professor with a disturbed mind bereft of ideas but full of insults. Bring it on coward!
Babu Soli
In your small darkened world of lies, intrigue and hate, the only thing you understand is insults. You are an insult to all right thinking readership of this illustrious paper with your brand of stupidity never witnessed in an educated Gambian elite. You are a savage like Yahya Jammeh, that is why no education can enlighten or refine your crudeness. You seem to know a lot about BASTARDS and i wondered if that’s something prevalent in your family. You dirty stinky BASTARD of bastard parents. Why are you lying again by denying dishing out insults to all members of this government or to any other person who said the truth about Jammeh. A lying so called professor with no ideas.
I’m glad you condemned Kufing Samba Saytan as a murderous devil but at same time the alter ego of bigger sadistic kanilai devil who you idolise…?
Forget about ‘bilateral’ treaty it’s rather collective African responsibility to ensure to democratic transfer of powers anywhere…
It’s was ECOWAS African collective failure to have intervened at July 1994 just as had done now; while they still abandoned the same responsibility in unDemocratic Republic of Congo, elsewhere…
The political adage then were ‘… Mandinka party (meaning by majority support), Aku government, Wollof Mbumbai, Fula nyaaka…etc etc’ but all in general harmony spirit…
Yes PPP failed short in many areas & we all yearned for change in anyway possible only to mistakenly embraced a kanilai devil but there’s the human sacrosanctinty at the time despite…
And you blame that for the catastrophe Kukoi, I mean Kufing evil satan invented for our innocent community…?
Babu can you be serious at all…???
We could put our opinions in a more educative and matured manner,diverse in opinions does not make us better than each other.Please take note that all we want for the country is peace & development.
Bajaw,
“The political adage then were ‘… Mandinka party (meaning by majority support), Aku government, Wollof Mbumbai, Fula nyaaka…etc etc’ but all in general harmony spirit…”
The last phrase there is insulting and provocative:”all in harmony” at the expense of the rural poor and their children when the families in the cosmopolitan Gambia, who were not contributing an iota to our GDP where benefitting from the labour of the poor rural masses.
What a pernicious Gambia existed,then? Stop reminding us about the fatality of the PPP regime, Bajaw!
Bajaw,
Don’t worry, I’ll be serious when BASTARD Nasty Natty Dread is!
Babu Soli
On quote ”I’ll be serious when BASTARD Nasty Natty Dread is! So sad to see a professor being minded in a Day care center for adults. How can this ”thing” be a Gambian intellectual or a member of the school of Pan African revolutionaries? A donkey in a suit will always be a donkey just like a fool in a professorial gown will also always be a fool.
You purported to be a democrat and would not comment on the ugly revelations from the commission of mass theft of our sovereign wealth and the complete abuse of office by Jammeh and his cronies but have the audacity, the dishonesty and the immorality of accusing Momar Njie of receiving D450,000 from Jammeh to doctor the result of the election without a shred of evidence, hence calling him a liar, a crook and a deceiver. Is that the trait of a democrat and a Gambian intellectual? You are a total good for nothing Babu. You are a stain on our collective conscience as Gambians. Throw me more insults as it taste like Benachin to me.
Babu, in reality it’s no insult at all to anybody; it’s jargon hilarious caricature of the party in itself not racists/tribalism whatsoever; a true demographic reality will shows homogenised cross section of diverse Gambia both in ‘urban’ & ‘rural’…
Do you mean to say there’re no ministers & communal leaders from minority ethnicities then..?
Yet, there were opposition parties equally full of all ethnicities across board on Gambia; nobody got butchered, disappeared, shot, raped, & maimed in cold blood…
Do you want to blame that more equate that to the murderous evil kanilai cartel fiefdom..?
You are entitled to opinions but where’s your conviction to God & fellow humanity; failure in governance & diversity in opinion over communal issues equally of concern to all never warrant any barbarities such as under the evil kanilai killerdom; does it…?
Rectification please – blame that in defence, more (so) equate…thank you
Nasty Natty Dread,
Talking about a shred of evidence, your group of Gambian intellectuals and all sorts of your disgusting allusions and assertions. I don’t belong to your fucking camp of DUNCE mentality.
Whatever you take intellectuals to be, your personal IDIOTIC and STUPID definition of intellectuals doesn’t affect Babu, because Babu doesn’t want to belong to a BASTARD’s school of thought.
With you I’m just crude, that’s all. And I’m happy to be so with an IDIOT who comes from uneducated parents.
Momar Njie is deceitful, a LIAR. A “responsible” authority who announced two different results about one electoral process! You are as STUPID a LIAR as Momar Njie is. No doubt you and Momar are from the same breed of CORRUPT and DISHONEST families who are accustomed to living on the sweat of the poor. You sa na for bitch!
Babu Soli
Enjoy your stay at the Day care center for adults prof.
Jack,
Learn from the Akus in Banjul. I lived a better half of my life in that dilapidated city during the PPP regime. I have heard how the Akus phonetically say: “son of a bitch”. So go and learn more of Gambian dialects.
“Sana” in Spanish is of course the feminine gender form of “healthy”. What has it got to do with the Aku phonetics?
Islam says punish the woeful wrongdoers and forgive when necessary. Not with Nasty Dreadful Natty Dread. S/he (’cause s/he is a travesti) doesn’t deserve any pardon!