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Gambia’s President Adama Barrow has registered his new political party called the National People’s Party (NPP) with the country’s electoral commission.

The Gambia Independent Electoral Commission on Tuesday announced that president Barrow meet all the requirements to register his new political party.

“The independent electoral commission hereby wishes to notify the general public that having met the requirements for registration under section 105 of the Electoral act 2009 (as amended) a new party.”

“National People Party has this 31st day of December 2019 has been duly registered as a political party,” the commission said in a statement.

According to the release the party’s color is dark grey while the interim secretary general and party leader is Adama Barrow.

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Last year President Barrow said he was convinced that Gambians wanted him to form his political party as pressure mounts on him to resign from the coalition party that brought him to power.

Barrow promised to step aside after three years should the coalition win the 2016 elections, but he is bent on continuing and further seeking re-election in 2021.

Justification for new party

In a facebook post President Barrow confirmed plans to launch his party in a spectacular way saying the “formal launching will be done in 2020.”

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According to President Barrow he was motivated to form his political party after he had a first-hand experience meeting the people who encourage him to fulfil his political agenda.

“I have travelled the length and breadth of the country hearing first-hand experience of the impact of the policies and programs of my government on lives and livelihoods of the people at the grassroots.

Their real life testimonies are really encouraging and generally show that things are moving in the right direction” he said.

He further defended his decision not to respect the coalition agreement that brought him into power in his New Year Message to Gambians.

Reaction from Gambians

MC Cham the national Youth president of the opposition Gambia Democratic Party told Africa Feeds that Barrow has broken all the agreements he had with his coalition partners.

“Barrow failed Gambians on two occasion, firstly he resign to be independent candidate. Secondly, he promised to stay in the Presidency for 3 years. Lastly he promised not to contest after the 3 year term.

President Barrow stuck two fingers to the Gambians on his own greed, lack of good conscience, sincerity and integrity,” he said.

Cham said he hoped Gambians will not vote for Barrow in the 2021 election.

He said “I hope all Gambians will now look at the interest of the country and ensure a very good selection which is best for the nation.”

Dodou Jah, deputy spokesperson for the Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC) how said every Gambian has the right to form his or her own political party.

He is however worried about the many political parties that are emerging saying, “Gambia is less than two million people and has a voter registration of over eight hundred thousand, so to have more than twelve political parties in a small country doesn’t tell well.”

Coalition support

President Barrow came to power after he won the presidential election on December 1st 2016 against for President Yahya Jammeh.

He was backed by seven political parties through a coalition and promised to step down after a three year transitional period.

Last month a group of Gambians staged a major protest to demand for president Barrow to honor the promise he made in 2016 and resign.

He has rejected those calls and vowed to complete his constitutional mandate of five years.

The registration of his party signals Barrow’s resolve to continue despite pressure and further push for re-election.

Source: Africafeeds.com