By Ebrima Papa Colley

Lamin Cham of Standard Newspaper was absolutely right on Kerr Fatou! There was nothing wrong, whatsoever, with his question or the way he phrased it! The discovery of Gambian voters’ cards in the open is utter negligence on the part of the IEC. Other countries’ citizens would have sued their electoral commission for this.

To Angry Joe Colley

You’re lucky to be in a country where the majority is hungry, trying to put food on the table. Such hunger and poverty push them far away from knowing the issues, let alone asking intelligent questions. Lamin Cham happens to be among those that are asking seriously intelligent questions.

But Mr. Joe Colley, you got angry with Gambians asking simple questions other nations would have fired an entire electoral body for. You’re lucky it wasn’t me asking you those same questions. Lamin Cham is a very gentle guy. He’s still the same soft and mild-tone guy I’ve worked under since 1999.

Mr. Joe Colley, this online paper we run has been raising simple questions about fraud potentials in this critical election we approach. At one of the president’s rallies he dubbed “Meet the farmers’ tour,” a Pa Jagne of the NPP was threatening our immigrations department to open our borders to foreigners to vote in this delicate election.

Earlier, it was Hamat Bah, a cabinet minister that made similar remarks. Did the IEC summon both Hamat and Pa Jagne after such dangerous utterances in CRR? Or did it even release a statement? No! Why? Because our people are too hungry to even find out about their constitutional rights!

Our paper has been reporting extensively on this government’s despair and schemes to steal the December polls. Remember the IEC viciously pursued a pressure group that was just trying to sensitize Gambians about voter fraud, but yet choose to look the other way when Hamat Bah and Pa Jagne declared dangerous motives in the open.

But in your head, Mr. Joe Colley, it’s Lamin Cham who has an agenda, not those that aren’t even hiding their evil intentions to defraud Gambians of a clean, free, and fair election! You see why I said you were lucky it wasn’t I that was interviewing you?

Next, we saw a Guinean flag hoisted up to welcome Adama Barrow in Basse during one of his tours. Earlier, we saw Senegalese nationals at the same president’s rally in Foni Sintet. Why? Because real Gambians in Foni refused to come out as they have been refusing since Barrow’s coming.

What did the Senegalese say? They said they came to boost Adama Barrow’s rally after being called to do so. Again, other countries would have sued their government or asked for continuous investigations for blatant election interference by foreigners. Think of US and Russia!

Next, we saw our voters’ cards in the streets near a location full of Senegalese nationals. But Adama Barrow and his gang don’t have an agenda. It’s a journalist, Lamin Cham who has an agenda, in your head, Mr. Joe Coiley. Please, do you listen to yourself?

When a cruel, dishonest Gambian can’t win a simple argument, he often retorts, “This guy has an agenda.” No, Mr. Colley! It’s you who has an agenda when you neglect your simple responsibilities not once or twice, but repeatedly and habitually!

Adama Barrow’s gov’t has an election phobia! That’s why the Brikama Area Council election was never held. That’s why he never held a simple referendum for the draft constitution. Instead, Goodluck Jonathen was a replacement for such referendum!

Barrow knows a free and fair election won’t put him back to office. So, he has to resort to fraudulent means, sometimes in the open to show how desperate he is. Now he’s pushing tribal groups such as the 40 leaders of a Balanta group! A good leader would have seen that similar audience would have to be granted to  other tribes too which is very divisive!

The Samson Option

NPP is trying to use Yahya Jammeh as its Samson option! Samson was a biblical prophet from Dan in the land of Zoar captured by his enemies who blinded him with a hot iron rod. His life became miserable in prison after losing his sight. When God gave him back his Herculean strength, he chose to bring down the pillars of an entire stadium hosting the nation, its king, and gov’t.

So, if Barrow lacks electability, let Gambia perish in his Samson option. Samson and his love interest, Delilah perished in the ruins when he pulled down the city’s pillars. The entire city perished with him as well. But Jammeh isn’t stupid to listen to Adama Barrow!

Yes, Jammeh didn’t get along with UDP for decades. But he has the right to feel much anger against Senegal’s Macky Sall than UDP’s Ousainou Darboe. And Barrow was still selling Jammeh’s property to Senegal when he never thought he would, one day desperately need Yahya.

But the damage done has been too severe to bring Barrow and Jammeh together. The wedge driven is irreversible! Worse, Macky Sall is still Barrow’s mentor while Gambians suffer hunger, extreme hardship, corruption, loss of sovereignty, extreme inflation, you name it.

This is why the Barrow camp is so angry these days. Joe Colley, you have seen the hardship in your country right now. Don’t you have a heart for those poor people struggling to eat every day while some perish in poor hospitals while Barrow devours a D150,000.00 daily fish money?

Adama Barrow knows Gambians are hungry, angry, sick, tired, betrayed, cheated….the list defies ending! No wonder our voters’ cards are found everywhere because someone wants to remain in power through the back door! We thank both Lamin Cham and Kerr Fatou!