The Independent Electoral Commission has told Kerr Fatou last week that that they have recognised Papa Njie as the new leader of the People’s Progressive Party.
Bakary Bunja Dabo said the December congress of the People’s Progressive Party that elected Papa Njie as the party’s leader has completely departed from their “established principles and norms”.
At a press conference on Tuesday, former vice president under Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara, who lost the leadership polls to Njie by a margin of 45 votes, said the voting was marred with ‘fraud and serious irregularities.’
Dabo said he reviewed conduct of the congress and its electoral process and concluded that it was characterized by irregularities.
“The congress completely departed from the established principles and norms of the PPP. There were lot of fraudulent manipulations and irregularities and whole process lacks legitimacy because of many instances of fraud and manipulation, which have since come to light,” said Dabo.
Dabo said prior to the election, members of his side were assured by Omar Jallow that the elections were to be conducted by the Independent Electoral Commission.
“Congress everywhere is expected to be a meeting of duly selected and accredited delegates of the different components that constitutes the party. They are supposed to engage in frank and serious discussion on issues of importance about the life of the party in terms of its achievements, future directions and plans. Therefore, the minimum you expect is substantial debates in an open and frank atmosphere leading to decisions, which reflects the views of the majority of the delegates since they themselves are delegates to need to reflect on the views of the people they represent”
“The congress was conducted in a most chaotic and shambolic manner. There were no debates and it was all being harangued with cheap politics. For three days no single delegate from Fatoto to Gunjur was given the floor to speak even a word” he added.
According to BB even for a political rally, you allow some people to speak but not at the PPP congress.
Dabo also claimed that during the congress members of his camp were treated with outmost discourtesy by OJ and Kebba Jallow.
BB said he now felt comforted by the fact that not only him but also the vast majority of PPP followers in the country feel the same.
He reveals that he and other senior party members including Alhagie Yaya Ceesay, interim national president, are now focusing on conclusions that emanated from the Bakau declaration.
He said the meeting that involved 35 constituency heads ended with a solemn declaration representing the strong views and convictions that firmly, categorically and definitively rejected the congress and its outcome.
“We are now going ahead and try to recover our party from those who have tried to use fraud and manipulation to highjack it by any means and reorganising the PPP outside the framework of anything that emanates from the December congress,” said Dabo.