Lawyer Ousainou Darboe, leader and Secretary General of the United Democratic Party (UDP) has assured neighbouring country, Senegal, of a very fruitful and cordial relationship if elected to the Office of the President on Saturday.
UDP Leader gave this assurance to the neighbouring Senegal at his last political campaign rally held in Bakoteh, while reacting to trending media reports in Senegal that a UDP led-government will expel all Senegalese nationals from the Gambia.
“I know this election is not of an interest to only Gambians but other countries outside are also interested and one country that has keen interest is our neighbor, Senegal. The former French colony has interest in this election because there are some criminals from the Gambia who went to the Senegalese television stations to tell them that Ousainou Darboe and the UDP, if elected into office, will expel Senegalese from the Gambia,” UDP Leader advanced.
He added: “Criminals who are only interested in themselves, today if they see their interest in UDP, they follow; tomorrow if they think that supporting GDC is where their interest lies, they follow; if it is PPP, they follow; and even with NPP, they follow. Those Criminals and bandits are the ones who went to the Senegalese TV stations peddling lies that Darboe will expel Senegalese nationals. But I want to assure all Senegalese that Ousainou Darboe loves Senegal more than any of the politicians in this country.”
The UDP Leader attributed this act to supporters of his main challenger President Adama Barrow, saying it will be an act of insanity for UDP government to expel Senegalese from the Gambia. Darboe believes that such act would not help Gambians living in Senegal and therefore dismissed it as a propaganda.
“I want to assure the people of Senegal that there is no truth in those claims. What we are foreseeing is a cordial relationship and work towards the common good of the two countries. Anything that will bring misunderstanding and threatens the mutual relationship with Senegal, United Democratic Party will not follow that path and I Ousainou Darboe will never do so,” UDP Leader reaffirmed his assurances to Senegal.
The UDP standard-bearer also highlighted that one of his late Brother Lamin Darboe moved to Senegal at a tender age and was a classmate of the Chief Justice of Senegal. He intimated that his late brother attended schools in Senegal before serving as a magistrate and Chief of Cabinet.
“Senegalese, you know General Lamin Sise, who was a Minister of Interior in Senegal? He is from Jarumeh Kunda in Niani. So for us (UDP) the relationship we have with Senegal, i don’t think there is anyone including the one who spewed those nonsense, wherever he comes from, he or she does not have that type of relationship with Senegal,” Lawyer Darboe submitted.
According to him, a United Democratic Party government will only toe the lines of promoting cordial relationships with Senegal, adding that UDP government will not only open its doors to Senegalese but other nationals in The Gambia.
Darboe, who also recuperating from a recently sustained fracture appeared fit and strong at this last rally of the UDP, where he promised to restore the hopes of the young people, end the polarisation of the society, maintain the peace and stability of the country once he is elected into office.
