By Buba Gagigo
The Press Secretary of the Gambia Action Party (GAP), Sheikhna Faal has rebutted comments by Musa Yali Batchilly and Abubacarr Bayo that the two camps of GAP have reconciled.
“As a founding member of the party, I have few issues to clarify. First of all, IEC made it clear that he (Batchilly) can only be removed through congress. Only Bayo who is the party spokesperson and Omar Beyai are the ones on the other side (Batchilly’s side); while the rest of the executive body still stand their grounds not to join Batchilly’s side.
“As i speak, we have not reconciled with him and we have no intention of doing so. GAP was formed by all of us, and the money paid to register (the party) came from our former flag bearer, Mr Bojang, and Mr Ebrima Jaiteh ( god father of GAP ),” he told Kerr Fatou on Monday.
Faal said that Bubacarr Bayo who was first part of their camp later switched to Batchilly due to family pressure.
“He (Bayo) is a cousin brother to Batchilly and with the belief that Barrow will get them positions in the government, which did not happen as we speak. GAP as a party never had any alliance with the NPP. It was Batchilly and Mr Beyai who went (to the NPP) as individuals, which resulted in their expulsion,” he said
Bubacarr Bayo told Kerr Fatou that GAP did not put up a candidate in the parliamentary election because President Adama Barrow appealed to them to leave their strongholds for the NPP.
However, Mr Faal said GAP did not put up a candidate in the parliamentary election due to lack of funds and not the claim made by Bayo.