Just hours after the two contending parties in the Nianija by-election (APRC & NRP) nominated their candidates, the nominated NRP candidate, Abdoulie Jallow, has withdrawn his candidacy and defected to the ruling APRC party, according to report gathered by this paper.

Our correspondent in Janjangbureh said that the former NRP member tendered a letter of resignation to the IEC regional bureau in Janjangbureh, last Friday. And in a press release sent to the Daily Observer, the country’s electoral body, The Independent Electoral Commission, confirmed the story.

Our investigations also revealed that the former NRP candidate’s resignation was made possible after a closed-door discussion he had had with key members of the region, among them nominated member, Hon. Seedy Njie and several other members of the council of elders in Nianija. Mr Jallow apparently saw reason after been reminded of the tremendous development the ruling APRC party had brought to the people of the district.

Shortly after tendering his resignation letter, Mr Jallow told our reporter in Janjangbureh that his defection to the APRC party was prompted by his sudden acknowledgement of the major development registered by the Jammeh administration.

He said “I am very pleased to defect to the APRC due to the good work of the president of the Republic, Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya AJJ Jammeh, particularly towards the people of Nianija.” Jallow assured the people of his unflinching support to the APRC henceforth.

For his part, Alhagie Ganyi Touray, the governor of the Central River Region, commended Jallow for his patriotism. While welcomed the defected man to the APRC party and assuring him of his continues support, Governor Touray promised that the development will be relayed to the Gambian leader.

Hon. Seedy Njie, nominated member of the National Assembly, equally commended Jallow for the move. Honourable Njie spoke at length on the excellent relation that prevail among the people of Nianija as well as the love the people of Nianija has for President Jammeh and his APRC party.

Farba Jallow, APRC Janjangbureh constituency chairman; Momodou Bah of the Council of Elders of the constituency, and Lamin Darboe, the deputy governor of CRR, all welcomed the decision by the former NRP member and assured him of their support.