By Staff Writer
The National Assembly was unable to proceed with its scheduled sitting on Monday after failing to attain the required quorum, amid mounting tensions over the role of Deputy Speaker Seedy Njie and a growing push by opposition lawmakers to prevent him from presiding over parliamentary proceedings.
Sources within the National Assembly told Kerr Fatou that a significant number of members of the Minority Caucus were absent from the chamber because they were engaged in a closed-door meeting to discuss a coordinated response to the possibility of Deputy Speaker Njie chairing the sitting in the absence of Speaker Fabakary Tombong Jatta.
The development comes against the backdrop of an ongoing controversy surrounding Mr. Njie following the circulation of leaked audio recordings that have generated allegations of tribal insensitivity. The recordings, first published by What’s On Gambia and subsequently reported by several media outlets, including Kerr Fatou, allegedly captured conversations involving the Deputy Speaker, community leaders from Niamina, and journalist Omar P. Jallow, a former Gambia Radio and Television Services reporter who was then serving at the Office of the Vice President.
A petition submitted to the National Assembly concerning the matter remains pending.
According to sources familiar with the discussions, the Minority Caucus convened Monday morning to map out its strategy upon learning that Speaker Jatta would not be presiding over the day’s sitting—a development that made it all but certain Deputy Speaker Njie would assume the chair. As opposition lawmakers remained behind closed doors in deliberation, Mr. Njie, already seated at the helm of the chamber, called for a quorum—a move that thrust the deepening standoff between the two sides into the open.
A source within the Assembly, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss internal caucus deliberations, said minority members have reached a consensus to table a motion seeking Mr. Njie’s recusal from presiding over the affairs of the Assembly in the Speaker’s absence until the allegations and petition against him have been fully addressed.
“The caucus believes it would be inappropriate for him to continue presiding over parliamentary proceedings while these matters remain unresolved,” the source said.
According to the source, opposition lawmakers believe the Assembly’s Standing Orders provide sufficient grounds for introducing such a motion on the floor of Parliament.
The Minority Caucus is expected to formally present the motion when the Assembly reconvenes on Tuesday, June 16.
Should the motion be rejected, defeated, or prevented from reaching the floor for debate, opposition lawmakers are prepared to escalate their response.
“They are prepared to boycott any sitting presided over by the Deputy Speaker until the petition and allegations against him are resolved,” the source said.
The looming confrontation threatens to deepen divisions within the National Assembly at a time when lawmakers are expected to address key legislative and oversight matters. As of Monday evening, neither Deputy Speaker Njie nor representatives of the Majority Caucus had publicly commented on the opposition’s reported plans.
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