By Fatou Sillah
Dr. Ousman Gajigo, an economist and the leader of the Patriotic Progressive Alliance, said he rejected a government offer of 30 million dalasis for consultancy work that he believes was intended to discourage him from publicly criticizing the management of the country’s economy.
In an interview with West Coast Radio, Dr. Gajigo said the offer came after he began publishing articles critical of government corruption and economic mismanagement. He described the proposed contract as vague and unnecessary, reinforcing his belief that it was meant to buy his silence.
“Not long ago, I was called and offered a contract for 30 million dalasis,” he said. “For doing what? Probably nothing. Those were all tricks to try to silence somebody.”
Dr. Gajigo said the consultancy proposal contained no clear description of duties, which he viewed as evidence that the offer was not based on genuine professional need. He added that similar approaches had been made to him on more than one occasion.
According to Dr. Gajigo, the experience strengthened his resolve to enter politics rather than retreat from public life. He said his decision was driven not only by the alleged offer but also by longstanding concerns about governance that, in his view, are well documented.
“Even if that hadn’t happened, there were other proofs that you could find, because you can read any audit report in the government, and there is no shortage of examples,” he said.
Dr. Gajigo also sought to dispel speculation about his political affiliations, saying he has never been a member of the United Democratic Party or any other political party. “I was never a member of the UDP,” he said. “It’s just an assumption people made, maybe because I appeared with Lamin Manneh multiple times on Kerr Fatou.”
He said the Patriotic Progressive Alliance was formed to provide Gambians with an alternative ahead of the 2026 elections, arguing that voters deserve more than a repetition of familiar political choices.
“People needed a new option,” he said. “I don’t think it would be a good idea to present the electorate with the same options again, so I felt it was important to give people a different alternative.”
Dr. Gajigo emphasized that his entry into politics was not motivated by personal gain or a lack of opportunities elsewhere. He said he had declined invitations to meet with the president and turned down what he described as substantial financial offers.
“I’m not going into politics because I have no other option,” he said. “I have been offered huge sums of money for doing nothing, and I turned those down.”