By Buba Gagigo
The Alliance for Patriotic Re-orientation and Construction (APRC) has categorically denied that their party leader, Fabakary Tombong Jatta, and Yankuba Colley, were involved in the burning of the APRC political bureau in 2016.
In a recent leaked audio recording, one Sheriffo Sanyang confessed to burning down the political bureau of the Alliance for Patriotic Re-orientation and Construction (APRC). He alleged that he was sent to do so by former State Guard Commander, Saul Badjie, former Minister of the Interior, Ousman Sonko but also mentioned Fabakary Tombong Jatta and Yankuba Colley who he said were aware of the act.
“With regard to the recent ongoing viral audios in circulation on social media platforms, the Alliance for Patriotic Re-orientation and Construction (APRC) National Executive Members and all party supporters and sympathisers hereby distance itself from the unruly statement and false accusations heard from one Sheriffo Sanyang via WhatsApp audios in regard to the arson attack of the then APRC National Bureau Headquarters in Kanifing South.
“Thus, we are hereby informing the general public and party members and sympathisers that is not the genuine truth, and is far from the reality of what happened. It could be recalled that there were individual Gambians (names withheld) who made mention on the Freedom Online Radio in America, which was run at the time by the late Pa Nderry Mbai that they sponsored the arson attack of the APRC National Bureau through one soldier resident in The Gambia, which they made public and categorically clear that they were responsible,” APRC said in a press release on Monday.
The party said In reference to the above-mentioned online radio program, if there are viral audios making mention of names of people who assigned him (Sheriffo Sanyang) or were part of the arson attack as he claims, is absolutely misleading and ‘pure’ fabrication to sow the seed of discord and misunderstanding among the APRC party hierarchy.
The APRC said they will take up the matter with the Inspector General of Police and further engage their legal experts to help them bring to justice anyone responsible.
“The APRC National Bureau contained valuable properties, important documents, Asobis, and assets that were burnt inside the offices of the bureau. We still possess pictorial evidence of the remains of the burnt materials at the time. However, on behalf of the National Executive Members, the strong party supporters and sympathisers, under the leadership of The National Chairman and Party Leader of the (APRC), who doubles as the Speaker of the National Assembly, hereby resolve and renew our allegiance, confidence, loyalty, and support to the Right Hon. Alh. Fabakary Tombong Jatta, and that we are in solidarity with him and all those falsely accused in the arson attack of our then National Bureau, it is laughable but very serious accusations,” they concluded.