Africa-Press – Gambia. The removal of Auditor General Modou Ceesay has triggered fierce debate in the National Assembly, with Hon. Almameh Gibba of Foni Kansala declaring the action a “constitutional crisis” that undermines the independence of the National Audit Office and weakens public trust in governance.
Raising the Matter of Urgent Public Importance, on Wednesday, 17th September 2025, Honourable Gibba told lawmakers that Modou Ceesay was forcibly escorted out of his office on September 15 by police after he had rejected his appointment as Minister of Trade.
Appointment that government officials maintain that the auditor general had already accepted, but Gibba insisted that no evidence had been produced to support that claim.
“This is not merely a personal issue; it strikes at the very core of our constitutional democracy, institutional integrity, and the rule of law,” Honourable Gibba submitted. He warned that silence from parliament would only “legitimize illegality.”
The lawmaker also condemned the arrest of several youths and a journalist who gathered outside the Audit Office in solidarity with Ceesay. He said eyewitness accounts and footage suggest police used tear gas to disperse unarmed civilians. “Citizens must be allowed to exercise their right to peaceful assembly without fear of repression,” he argued.
Hon. Gibba’s remarks on Auditor General sparked sharp divisions across the Assembly.
Nominated member, Honourable Fatoumatta Jawara, questioned why Honourable Gibba linked the removal to the arrest of youths, arguing that the central issue should be who has the authority to hire or fire the Auditor General. “We cannot accept two individuals to continue to harass government officials,” she said.
But others backed HonGibba on this. Sami lawmaker Alfusainey Ceesay reminded colleagues that the 1997 Constitution clearly outlines the procedure for appointing and removing an Auditor General. “Even if there was evidence that he accepted the ministerial post, he later reversed it. The president should not allow actions that create commotion in this country,” he said.
Minority Leader Alhagie S. Darboe of Brikama North stressed that the President has no discretionary power to reassign an independent officer to a political post. “Even if he had accepted, he would first need to resign from the Audit Office. Otherwise, it infringes the independence of the institution,” he said.
Lower Saloum NAM Sainey Jawara echoed that view, stressing the matter was not about Ceesay personally but about protecting the Constitution. “Appointments should not be imposed. This is about the rule of law,” he maintained.
While views differed on the arrests that followed, lawmakers from both sides acknowledged the removal raises profound constitutional and governance questions.
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