Africa-Press – Gambia. United Democratic Party (UDP) leader lawyer Ousainou Darboe has broken his silence over lingering controversies surrounding former Vice President Fatoumatta Jallow Tambajang, describing her recent remarks about him as “misleading” and insisting that he had no role in her removal from office.
In an exclusive interview with Coffee Time host Peter Gomez, Darboe said he found it “embarrassing” to revisit the matter but felt compelled to set the record straight after Tambajang claimed that constitutional amendments during the coalition government were made in his favour.
Darboe explained that the amendments to address age and term limits were part of the coalition agenda and not tailored to benefit him personally. “If it was for me, I would have been appointed Vice President. But she was the first beneficiary of that amendment,” Darboe stressed, pointing out that the current vice president is also a beneficiary.
The UDP leader also recalled how he supported Tambajang’s rise to the vice presidency despite attempts by political rivals to block her appointment. “I stood by her because I knew that was what she really wanted, and because of my relationship with her late husband. People were trying to disqualify her using her age records, but I defended her,” he said.
However, Darboe said what damaged their political relationship was a letter Tambajang allegedly signed to the United Nations, styling herself as “Acting President of The Gambia” while President Adama Barrow was abroad. Darboe recounted confronting her after receiving a copy of the letter. “I told her, Fatoumatta, why did you deceive me? You said you never signed such a letter, but here it is. That was really deceitful,” he said.
He added that the decision to relieve Tambajang was not influenced by him but was a consequence of her own actions. “I had absolutely no hand in her removal from office. She paved the way for it,” Darboe maintained.
While acknowledging their past close ties, Darboe said it was important that the Gambian people hear the “proper narrative” of events. He emphasized that his commitment has always been to advancing constitutionalism and political accountability in The Gambia, not personal rivalries.
“I do not want to cause her further embarrassment, but some of the things said about me are simply not true. I have always stood by her until the very end,” Darboe concluded.
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