Former vice president of the Gambia and a member of the People’s Progressive Party, Bakary Bunja Dabo, has announced the establishment of a new political party on Saturday.
Several delegates invited by the leadership of the new party in the making have gathered at the Independence Stadium to complete what was to be the final touches to the establishment of Gambia For All Party (GFAP).
“Given everything happening in our current political discourse, there could not have been a better time to have a party like this,” said Dabo in an address to delegates.
“Let’s leave this place with renewed dedication and loyalty to the Gambia… This is a fight for a better Gambia.”
Meanwhile, Bolong Sonko, an influential member of the PPP and now a member of the new party said they are yet to register with the Independent Electoral Commission. The party is also in the process of identifying its colour and symbol and draft its constitution.
Bolong said the people who have come together to form the party are the PPP splinter group who are not in agreement with the leadership of Papa Njie.
Dabo, the likeliest leader of the new party, contested for the leadership of the PPP with Papa Njie but he lost by a 45-vote margin.
Dissatisfied with the results, several leadership of the party with reportedly the endorsement of Dabo challenged the validity and constitutionality of the congress that elected Njie as the leader of PPP.
The case that seeks to annul the last PPP congress is already at the Banjul Magistrate Court. The successful establishment of the new party will automatically nullify the essence of the court case challenging Njie’s leadership of PPP.
Hence the court case is likely to be withdrawn after the new party is established.