Barrow Frames December Election as Choice Between Continuity and ‘Going Backward’

By Makutu Manneh

President Adama Barrow has continued to cast the December 5 presidential election as a choice between continuing his administration’s development agenda and “going backward,” repeating the message as his annual Meet-the-People Tour moves through the country.

The Meet-the-People Tour is a constitutionally mandated nationwide exercise that allows the president to meet communities, hear their concerns, and assess development needs. President Barrow began this year’s tour on October 1.

Speaking to residents of Bakadaji in the Upper River Region, Barrow said voters would face a straightforward choice in December: continue with his administration or start afresh under new leadership.

“The election is about two things: continuity or starting afresh, going forward or backward,” Barrow said. He told residents that those who wanted continuity should vote for him, while those seeking a new direction should choose another candidate.

Barrow argued that his administration represented progress and said projects already underway would be more likely to continue if he were returned to office.

The president tied his re-election appeal to two longstanding priorities in rural communities: electricity and roads. He said communities seeking access to electricity and the completion of ongoing road projects should support his candidacy.

“We have already studied all communities that are yet to be connected to electricity,” Barrow said. “The projects have been tendered, contractors secured, and work is about to start. You will see work equipment on the ground before the election.”

Aiming at his political opponents, Barrow urged residents not to be swayed by competing campaign promises. Using a food analogy, he argued that someone who had already provided “breakfast and lunch” should be trusted when promising to provide “dinner.”

Barrow also defended the quality and durability of infrastructure projects undertaken during his administration, saying bridges constructed under his government were designed to last for generations.

“Anything you want from this government, you can get it,” he said. “I know that you cannot be fooled and cannot be bought.”

The president repeated a similar message during a stop in Jawo Kunda, also in the Upper River Region, again portraying the election as a choice between moving forward and going backward.

He urged voters who believe the country is making progress under his administration to give him another term in office.