By: Kemo Kanyi
The Minister of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services, Dr. Ismaila Ceesay, has defended President Adama Barrow’s recent remarks in the Lower River Region that despite the “development gains” that he made in the region, Mandinka settlements there have not been reciprocating his efforts with votes.
Dr. Ceesay said President Barrow’s utterance did not berate the Mandinka tribe, stating that the president’s remarks was a discussion around the voting pattern that has been in existence in the country. He described as false the allegations that Mr. Barrow had debased the country’s largest ethnic group through his remarks in LRR during Meet The People Tour.
The information minister asserted that the President is a citizen of The Gambia with the right to analyse the country’svoting pattern of the country, adding that Lawyer Ousainou Darboe made a similar utterance against the Sarahulecommunity which, he said, was Darboe’s view of thecountry’s voting pattern.
‘’The President wasn’t bitter about it, but what he was, in fact, saying was that he brings developments to area even if they do not vote for him. In Kiang West for example, he [President] constructed their road, built hospital, providedelectricity and water for them, even though they voted against him. These are facilities they do not have since independence,’’ Dr. Ceesay said in an interview on Coffee Time With Peter Gomez on Tuesday.
Responding to allegations that the President made the utterance to influence the voting pattern in the 2026 presidential election, Dr. Ceesay stated that the President is a politician and needs to campaign to secure votes from electorates. He added: “That’s what politics is all about.’’
Meanwhile, minister Ceesay argued that Meet The People Tour was not a political tour but an advantage of incumbency “as every other leadership will do when in power”. He added that those saying the President cannot politick during the constitutionally-mandated tour do not understand how politics and governance work, describing them as “false information peddlers with an agenda”.
‘’Constitution itself is a political document because it gives guidance on how to go about politics,’’ he contended.
