A former vice president under country’s first leader Dawda Jawara, Bakary Bunja Draboe, has announced his intention to vie for the leadership of the Peoples Progressive Party.
At a press conference at his residence in Fajara, the 67-year old said he has the experience required to rejuvenate the party whose performance has been “abysmal” in the past elections.
“I call you to announce my decision, after careful consideration and a response to fairly widespread appeals, to put my name forward for the position of the secretary general of the Peoples Progressive Party,” said Darboe.
The PPP goes to congress on December 28. Darboe’s likeliest challenger for the leadership of the party is going to be another veteran politician Omar Jallow.
Darboe has severed as both a tourism minister and vice president under the PPP administration. However, following the overthrow of the regime, he continued to work with the Junta for 70 days after which he resigned.
But Darboe told journalists that his decision to work with the Junta was for his love of the country. He was living in exile in England until the toppling of the former dictator Yahya Jammeh on December 1, 2016
“I never liked the regime. I never approved of the coup but certain times you have to accept the reality when you cannot change it,” he said.
The veteran politician was however unclear if he has ambitions to lead the PPP into the 2021 presidential elections.
Meanwhile, the former VP also said the current administration of President Adama Barrow is doing reasonably good given the damages done to the country by former ruler Jammeh.
Comments are closed.