By: Foday Manneh
The former aspiring National People’s Party (NPP) candidate for the Brikama Area Council chairmanship Ahmed Gitteh says no job offer from his party will change his mind about contesting as an Independent candidate.
“Job seeking didn’t bring me back to the Gambia. I have a job with the Canadian government. I receive $6000 per month. What job in this country can give me that? No,” Gitteh argued.
“I came because I want to serve my people. I have the opportunity to be in charge of the affairs of the people of the West Coast Region to make sure we gather their revenue genuinely and elevate their situation,” he added.
The Basori-born said accepting a job offer from the Executives of NPP would be a plot against his decision.
“A founding member of NPP like Ahmed Gitteh can seek a position in the party through a democratic process against an individual who is unknown, has participated zero in the party, but gave him my victory, then any offer that is made is as the same plot,” Gitteh told journalists.
Gitteh announced during a press conference on Friday, March 17, 2023, that he would contest as an Independent Candidate after missing out on his party’s ticket to Seedy Ceesay last week.
His decision to stand solo came after a controversy that erupted during his party’s primaries to select a candidate for the West Coast Region on March 8, 2023, which Gitteh claimed to have been cheated after the party announced a tie between him and his lead contender Seedy.
A week later, the NPP organized another preliminary that Gitteh boycotted and decided not to participate in the argument of his earlier claimed victory.
Ahmed, who calls himself the “honey badger,” believes that he has a chance to win, and that’s why he came back home from Canada to contest for the local council chairmanship position.
“I came to this country and spent two weeks here. My opponent was picked and prepared. So much money was given to Ministers, NPP Executives, the Governor of the region, and even chiefs who were involved in politics for him,” Gitteh said.
“For months, delegates that voted that day were called at their various constituencies by chiefs who claimed the President said, “they should vote for Seedy Ceesay.”
“People still voted for me because they don’t know Ceesay, who has not done anything for the party. This tells you I am a winner, the people trust,” he assured.
