Africa-Press – Gambia. The head of the group calling itself “No Third Term for Barrow” has told The Standard that no amount of threats would deter them from their struggle to ensure that President Adama Barrow steps down at the end of his second term.
Lamin Sillah, who is based in the Bronx, New York, in the United States, said as part of an intensification of their activities, that his group will write to Ecowas, UN, EU and other international institutions to exert pressure on President Barrow to step down and avert violence in the country.
The Niani Yonna native said his group was formed on 4th July 2023 and comprises Gambians at home and abroad. He denied any affiliation with any particular political party, saying their singular objective is to “peacefully and humbly campaign to persuade President Barrow against running for a third term”.
President Barrow and his NPP talking heads have reiterated that his candidacy in the 2026 presidential election is both legal and justified under the current constitution which lacks term limits.
However, civil society organisations including No Third Term for Barrow as well as the Edward Francis Small Centre for Research and Justice, have urged the head of state to respect the spirit of democracy and step down at the end of his current term.
Speaking to The Standard yesterday, Sillah stated: “We are very much disappointed with President Barrow because this term limit is part of his campaign promises that no president should govern this country for more than two terms. Instead of fulfilling those promises, he is now threatening us. He cannot intimidate anyone, and let him not instigate violence in the country.
“In fact, because of President Barrow’s recent threatening remarks against us, we have the courage now to go ahead with our decisions, and there is no turning back. And let him know that we have now started creating our WhatsApp groups across the country, and currently, we have more than 4,000 people who are in these groups.
“Let President Barrow know that this country belongs to all of us. Therefore, let him not allow violence in the country, and let him know that we are not afraid of him. We have the right to demonstrate if he refuses to step down. Our demonstration will be different from that of Three Years Jotna. We cannot allow the way our country is being governed by President Barrow and his government to continue,” he said.
Asked whether he’s not engaging in political grandstanding since the constitution does not forbid President Barrow from seeking a new mandate, Mr Sillah responded: “We are aware of the absence of term limits in our constitution, but that should not be an excuse for anybody to promote self-perpetuation in power. In fact, the constitution is not the Holy Qur’an, it is the words of the Gambian people and they have raised that in the 2020 draft constitution.”
Sillah implored on President Barrow not to listen to people surrounding him who he claimed inveigled him from stepping down, saying they are looking after their personal interests and not the interest of the Gambian state.
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