One of Gambia’s 16 political parties, (GAP) Gambia Action Party head by Musa Yali Bachilly condemns effort geared towards bringing back to life the abandoned draft constitution.

It can be recalled that the most anticipated draft constitution which was expected to usher in the third republic had been rejected by NAMs on 23 September 2020, and most Gambian people.

Gambia Action Party’s public relations officer, Alhagie Bayo told Kairaba News Network that, their position on the failed draft  remains unchanged. GAP is to advocating to retain the 1997 constitution instead, he further explained that, if stakeholders had listened to their advise, the exorbitant sum of D100 million spent on the draft would not have ended up getting wasted.

He said 1997 constitution requires amendments on certain contentious clauses which appears substantive to them more than the draft constitution which already attracted huge some of state funds, this he said with all the energy directed to it failed.

GAP party’s spokesperson indicated that, it needs collective effort to break the deadlock for consensus between the stakeholders over the choice of the constitutions which is the draft constitution and the 1997 constitution.

He went further to state that, the intervention of the international blocs such as ECOWAS and others galvanising strategies to bring life into the failed draft is unacceptable.

“Gambia has about 16 political parties which all claimed to have Gambia at heart , so it’s our responsibility to come together to pave a path for consensus over this issues rather than allowing external intervention over our domestic matters as a sovereign state,” Bayo advised.

He challenged other political parties to carefully study both documents for the best interest of the country but was quick to mention that the 1997 legal framework has better contents that the draft which they prefer as a party to the failed draft.

 

By: Alkali Cham