By Mustapha Jarju
The Leader of the People’s Alliance Party (PAP), Ebrima TaboraManneh, has said he thought President Barrow was just bluffing about “his call” on the police to re-arrest those released on bail.
He said he believed the President was just making political remarks until he saw the actions that followed.
“Initially, I thought it was a bluff just a political comment but the problem is that the comments are a problem. Usually, you look at the actions that followed the comment at least that will tell you if he is just making a bluff or definitely meant his words,” Manneh said in an interview with The Voice.
“At this juncture, we are aware that the bail of Alagie Bora has been revoked. So, that tells you that there is some seriousness in the comments he (the President) made,” the PAP leader pointed out.
Manneh said the revocation of Alagi Bora’s bail was uncalled for, adding that the police should not have interfered or acted that way because people might see it as being influenced by the President’s comments.
He explained that the President’s remarks were seriouslyconcerning and scary for the average Gambian.
The PAP leader, however, said critical voices against the government should harbor no fears about the President’s remarks as long as they criticize objectively, stressing that the truth shall eventually prevail.
Manneh said arresting and detaining people would not stifle voices as, according to him, if one individual is arrested, the noise would be generated by five other people and if the five get arrested, 10 others would make noise.
He pointed out that the politics of deception will work in the country due to people’s maturity.
Manneh said if the basic needs of the population are provided by the government, people won’t have the time to be too critical ofit.
“But where a government has failed to deliver its responsibility,obviously people will criticize and unless that is changed, they cannot stop people from criticizing them because you cannot be in government and not deliver and expect people to be quiet. Itwon’t happen and it has never happened anywhere and it won’t work here,” he stressed.
Manneh advised President Barrow to be quiet about certain things rather than make comments that would increase controversy.
“For me (Ebrima Tabora Manneh), what I will tell the government is to deliver what is expected of it and the issues will be resolved naturally otherwise nothing is going to work”, he stressed.
