Brands his comments “Ridiculous

Hon. Seedy Njie, nominated member of the National Assembly, has defended the ruling APRC party’s stance of emerging victorious in the forthcoming National Assembly bye-elections in Nianija constituency after comments by Mr Femi Peters of the opposition United Democratic Party that the APRC would find it tough in Nianija constituency.

Hon. Njie, who just returned from Nianija constituency, rejected Mr Peter’s comments, describing them as “ridiculous, baseless and unfounded”.

“Having visited Nianija constituency over the past few days, I don’t think the ruling APRC will find anything tough in the area because Nianija before and Nianija today has been an APRC stronghold.

“I believe such comments by Mr Peters are ridiculous in the sense that the people of Nianija are ready to speak with one voice. And that is to say yes we are in for development and the interest of the APRC party, whose interest is the interest of the people of Nianija,” Hon Njie asserted.

According to Hon Njie, the comments by Mr Peters are clear indications that the opposition no longer have room in Nianija. “He is in fact acknowledging that Nianija is an APRC stronghold and in another way round saying that the APRC will sweep the polls come 18thDecember,” he said.

For Hon Njie, the APRC under the leadership of President Jammeh has selected a winning candidate for the race and come December 18th, the people of Nianija will prove the opposition wrong.

“The opposition camp in the country has lost direction for the simple reason that Gambians are no longer fools. People are no longer interested in people who have lost credibility and that is what the opposition are,” Hon Njie noted.

In his view, the determination and the energy shown by the people of Central River Region and Nianija in particular to always rally behind President Jammeh could be justified by the ‘limitless development’ that the President and his party have brought and continue to bring to their living-rooms.

“The people of Nianija are not deaf and are never blind. Come 18thDecember, they will continue to demonstrate the principle of development and collective responsibility, which the APRC has been known for”, he said.

Mr Femi Peters, readers will recall, said in an exclusive interview with this paper last week that the ruling APRC Party would be given a good run for their money, come 18thDecember.

He said that his party would be going all out to support the contesting National Reconciliation Party (NRP) candidate, who is yet to be named.

The elections, slated for December 18th, are said to be a close race. But whatever happens, with the ruling APRC struggling to retain its lost seat following the expulsion of Mr. Dawda Manneh, the erstwhile parliamentarian for the said constituency from the party on whose ticket he was elected to the National Assembly, the election will produce a new candidate.

Despite media reports constantly sending out predictions of a clear APRC lead, both the opposition and the ruling APRC party seem to be optimistic about their chances as they have been reported to be drumming up more support in the constituency.