The Leader of the National Unity Party
By Landing Ceesay
The Leader of the National Unity Party (NUP) Abdoulie Ebrima Jammeh has pulled out of the country’s maiden Presidential Debate slated later today.
“In actual fact, we have consented to take in the debate. But the discussion I had with the team when they visited my house I did raised concerns about the timing of the debate. It would have been better to take it around the 26th of November then most parties would have finished the tour upcountry and would have been in the Kombos. So it would be easy for everybody to take part. But right now it is difficult for us as a party because we are all the way in the Upper River Region URR. As a party, we have never toured this country before this is the first time we are doing it and we have some very important engagements with local people in the communities. So it will be a challenge for us to actually take part in the debate. But obviously, we would tender our apology for that we are in the business of trying to canvas votes. We think the engagement we are having here is equally important as well,” Jammeh told the GRTS reporter in Wuli.
The Gambia’s maiden Presidential debate which is slated to take place later Saturday evening at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara Conference Center in Bijilo; where the NUP leader was expected to lock horns with leader of PDOIS Hon. Halifa Sallah and Essa Mbye Faal Independent Presidential candidate.
Jammeh’s withdrawal from the debate will trim the candidates expected to participate to two presidential candidates joining the incumbent Adama Barrow, the UDP leader ANM Darboe and Mama Kandeh, the leader of GDC who didn’t confirm their availability for the debate.
Abdoulie Ebrima Jammeh, the standard-bearer of the National Unity Party (NUP) would on December 4, lock horns with the incumbent President Adama Barrow of NPP, Lawyer Ousainu ANM Darboe of UDP, Halifa Sallah of PDOIS, Mama Kandeh of GDC and Essa Mbye Faal, the Independent Candidate.