By Buba Gagigo
Ahmad Gitteh, a supporter of the National People’s Party (NPP), has defended President Adama Barrow’s government, asserting that it possesses the political will to facilitate diaspora voting.
“I would believe that there is a political will. I don’t know why there wouldn’t be, because there are people that would say that Barrow didn’t want to or NPP does not want to get diasporans to vote because they believe NPP doesn’t have support in the diaspora. As far as I’m concerned, I see those things as non-issues, because there is nobody here or an authority who can bring me material evidence, statistically or based on data, to say that when you go to Senegal, you have more opposition supporters than NPP,” Gitteh said.
He further argued that this assumption is not supported by any concrete data from countries such as Angola, Germany, and Spain.
“I have not seen anybody conduct that survey to come up with any evidence that supports that claim. So those are statements that are wild in the air. And apart from that, I wouldn’t know why the NPP that has some very powerful and consequential supporters from the diaspora will not want the diaspora to be enfranchised,” he said.
Gitteh highlighted the presence of prominent NPP members in the diaspora, listing figures such as Fabou Sanneh, Alkali Conteh, Suntu Touray, and Sulayman Camara, as well as Lamin Demba, the Deputy Head of Mission in Spain.
“The likes of Fabou Sanneh, the likes of Alkali Conteh, the likes of Suntu Touray, the likes of Sulaynman Camara. You go to the United States, we have a lot of our supporters there. So you have some of our people in the United Kingdom, Lamin Demba, the deputy head of mission in Spain. So why would we not want diaspora to be registered when it is based on that?” he asked.
Defending the government’s stance, Gitteh also emphasized President Barrow’s recognition of the diaspora’s contributions, particularly to the economy.
“They’ve said this and said this, and of course, we all get frustrated, like I said, I was on record, not even long ago, challenging the entire cabinet for not allowing us to have the right to participate in National Assembly elections as candidates, to not be allowed us to hold positions in cabinet, to not allow us to run as Presidents and Vice Presidents. We are all frustrated, but I think the NPP as a party has the political will. That I believe,” he said.