Photo: Chairman Abdou Njie

3 Years Jotna Chair Says President Barrow Is Incompetent

By Ousman A. Marong

Abdou Njie, the chairman of Operation 3 Years Jotna has described President Barrow as an incompetent leader who is incapable and unfit to govern The Gambia.

According to him, Operation 3 Year Jonta never threatened to take to the streets without a permit from the police as claimed.

He made the deliberation at a press conference at his Tallinding residence organized by his movement following their denial to hold a fundraiser by the police on Friday evening, January 3, 2020, at B.O. Semega Janneh hall at Tallinding.

Operation 3 Years Jotna is a movement demanding for President Barrow’s resignation as he had promised to honor the coalition 2016 agreement that brought him to power.

The group demands that President Barrow should tell the nation why he should not respect the agreement.

It could be recalled that on Friday, May 10, 2019, up to 15 members of the same movement, 8 women and 7 men were arrested at Kololi near Senegambia.

They were charged with unlawful assembly among others but let alone after charges were subsequently dropped.

However, the movement on December 16, 2019, organized a massive peaceful protest that drew thousands of people who took to the street from Sting Corner at Old Jeshwang to Denton Bridge.

“We did what is expected of us. The onus is now on the police to grant us a permit or not,” said Abdou Njie, adding that Operation 3 Years Jotna is neither a threat to national security nor a rebellious group.

“We are never a threat to national security nor are we threatening anybody. There were instances when the whole nation was in constant fear. There had been armed security personnel all over the country including Ecomig soldiers. This did not stop Gambians from defending their constitutional rights until the dictator was ousted. Why should Gambians fear now when they had mustered courage during the days of dictatorship? The truth is that President Barrow cannot rule this country and let him relinquish power,” said Njie.

He alleged that President Barrow is mobilizing people who referred to themselves as Gambia for Five Years.He said the president is doing this just to cling onto power.

“What is preventing Barrow for Five Years (now the Gambia for Five Years) from taking to the streets? Let them try it and see if they will be able to pull the kind of a crow we have attracted. President Barrow should know better that one cannot go into the wrestling field without been properly prepared. If you do that your opponents will wrestle you to the ground,” he said.

He said Gambians should not take President Barrow seriously anymore, simply because he made endless promises to Gambians without fulfilling them.

“What do you make of a president who tells his people that a bag of rice costs D900 which is contrary to the fact? We are in a wrestling competition with President Barrow where he or Operation 3 Years Jotna, one must fall,” he said.