APRC Rejects Gov’t White Paper Report; Urges UN, the AU And ECOWAS to Prevail on Gambia Gov’t

The Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC) has rejected the findings of the Janneh Commission in its entirety and the subsequent Gambia Government White Paper that banned the APRC party leader, Yahya Jammeh, embattled Vice President Isatou Njie Saidy, and other former senior government officials, while exonerating others for similar crimes committed.
The Party also demanded that the United Nation (UN), African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) prevail on The Gambia Government to respect and honor the agreements between Yahya Jammeh and The Gambia Government that led to fleeing into exile in Equatorial Guinea.

“We demand that the government revise the decisions of the White Paper because it is biased, selective and not justifiable. We will not stay and look around while we are being bullied or denied our rights, we are resolute and we will do everything and we will sacrifice everything to make sure that the truth is established,” Interim Leader, Fabakary Tombong Jatta disclosed at a press conference hosted at his house in Tallinding.

US Reacts to Janneh Commission Report, Calls for Measures to Avert Recurrence

The APRC strongman said the Commission was compromised from the onset with the appointment of key staff that have been indicted for being part of a process they have been asked to investigate. Jatta argued  that the Commission cannot reach any justifiable position on its findings when Amie Bensouda, Lead Counsel of the Commission was left to proceed with the task of investigating Yahya Jammeh’s financial dealings.

According to him, The Gambia Government should have rescinded the appointment of Amie Bensouda who has been implicated by Alhagie Kurang, former staff of the Commission, for wrongdoing arguing that instead of the Government relieving Amie Bensouda, she was left to proceed with the investigations.
“We cannot take this report seriously because it is headed by Amie Bensouda who has been implicated by Alhagie Kurang, a former staff of the commission, for wrongdoings. We thought that it would have been wise on the part of the Government to relieve her if we are to take the commission report seriously but she was allowed to continue with the investigation. How can we (APRC) accept such a report,” The APRC Leader questioned.

He said the government While Paper is not conclusive and APRC will use all necessary avenues to counter the report, adding that the first option is to express their opinion that is to be followed by a demand for the Government to revise its decision.

Opposition Leaders reacts to Gov’t White Paper Report; Describes it Bias and Selective

“We will do everything heavenly possible and we are willing to sacrifice  our lives to make sure that the truth is established as far as this report is concerned,” Jatta disclosed at the press conference.

On the agreement between former President Yahya Jammeh and The Gambia Government, before he fled to  Equatorial Guinea, the APRC Party Leader said both the UN, the AU and Ecowas should prevail on The Gambia Government to respect the agreement, stressing that if these bodies do not prevail on The Gambia Government they could be disregarded in the sub-region in any future peace talks.

Taking a swipe at Justice Minister Ba Tambedou, the APRC Party Leader disclosed that it was morally incorrect for the Attorney General to justify the acquisition of diplomatic passports for his family on the pretext that they were going to perform Hajj in Mecca. Jatta said that the Justice Minister is among the people who will make the Barrow government fail.
FTJ also questioned the rationale behind the banning of  Momodou Sabally, former secretary general and APRC party leader who never looted any money belonging to the state while the Commission’s recommendation on Alhagie Ceesay, Chief of Protocols, Mambury Njie, Minister of Finance and Nuha Touray are merely warned.
Jatta  said if some senior coalition leaders can buy compounds for themselves in Latrikunda, Brusubi, Bijilo among other places in the country for millions of dalasis within two years, why not Yahya Jammeh who ruled the country for 22years.