The presidential candidate and leader of the ruling Alliance for Patriotic Re-orientation and Construction party (APRC) has called on his supporters and militants not to use any campaign materials bearing the party symbol on election day in order to avoid any form of violence.

His Excellency Sheikh Professor Dr Alhaji Yahya Jammeh made this remark on Monday evening while addressing thousands of his party militants and supporters during a mass political rally held at the Serrekunda West Mini-Stadium in the Kanifing Municipality.

The five-hour meeting, which is part of the president’s ‘Thank you tour’ availed him once again the opportunity to thank his supporters for giving him the chance to lead The Gambia in the past 17 years. He used the platform to call on all eligible voters to go out and cast their votes on November 24th.

Use the ballot box to respond
President Jammeh again called on his supporters to exercise patience and be tolerant of those he called ‘the opposition’ throughout the campaign and election period.

“You raised my voice and made me proud anywhere I stood in the whole world, may Allah reward you. I am not here for campaign but to thank you for your support in the past 17 years,” he said.

He urged supporters not to respond to any opposition member who insults them, saying “even if they insult you, do not respond, if you want to respond do not do it by insulting, harassment or violence. Do so through the ballot box”.

He added: “You can wear your T-shirts and other APRC Ashobees and wait for the declaration of the results in your homes after casting your votes.”

President Jammeh highlighted some of the achievements registered by his government from1994 to date. He said all these achievements were possible because of the continued peace and stability that The Gambia enjoys. He added that peace is also the main contributing factor in achieving mammoth developments in the country.  

Exercising right is different from violence
“I am appealing to the APRC militants and supporters and the entire Gambian people whether you support APRC or not, nobody has the right to ignite violence.

 Election and violence are different. Democracy and violence are also two different things, every one of you have the right to go and vote but none of you have the right to spark violence. Whoever attempts that, we will deal with you,” President Jammeh told his supporters.

No passports for those refusing to vote
President Jammeh urged all those who have registered to go out and vote, noting that the government has spent up to D70 million on the new biometric voter cards registration to enable all Gambians have voter’s cards.

He said: “A lot of money has been spent on this new registration process, if you are a patriotic citizen go out and cast your vote. If you have a voter’s card and you fail to vote we will know. You know who to vote for but what is more important is to go and vote.

The new system in place will enable us to know those who registered and refused to vote and those that have voted. You have no right to have voter’s cards when you know that you are not going to vote.

I will tell IEC to print pictures of all those who registered and fail to vote, we will deal with them. If you register and fail to vote even a passport will not be issued to you in the coming five years.”

The Gambian leader also advised his supporters, especially couples not to allow support for the APRC or attending its activities cause problems between them and their spouses.

“Those of you who are married and your husbands are not supporting us, it does not worth conflict or quarrel between the two of you. If your husband said don’t attend the APRC meeting, don’t go because I am sure of one thing and that is, you will not enter into a polling centre with him.

So there, you can vote for the party of your choice. Just a day in every five years should not cause you your marriage,” he further advised.  

Speaking earlier, Yankuba Touray, former APRC national mobiliser urged party supporters to be aware of members of the opposition who are going around telling people unfounded and misleading stories.

While advising the people of Jeshwang Constituency and Serrekunda West to turn deaf ear to what he called ‘misleading information’ on the part of the opposition, Yankuba Touray predicted another landslide victory for APRC with great optimism.

He used the platform to list a number of achievements registered in The Gambia from 1994 to date, citing sectors like education and agriculture as examples.
 
He underscored the importance that the APRC government attaches to women empowerment, noting that several key decision-making positions are held by women in the country. According to him, all these are possible due to President Jammeh’s exemplary leadership.

“As a result of these entire combined factors mentioned earlier, The Gambia has been named among countries that have given utmost consideration to youth and women,” Yankuba Touray added.

He also urged supporters to maintain faith even if they are sacked from their positions. He added: “Sacking you from your positions should not deter your participation in the party’s activities.

Being removed from your position in the government does not mean you are sacked from the party, in fact that is the time you should even reaffirm your support to the party, but some of you join the party just for your selfish interest.”

For his part, Lamin Kaba Bajo, the minister of Fisheries, Water Resources and National Assembly Matters, also urged supporters to ignore the unfounded and misleading stories of the opposition.

He pointed out that the opposition only meet the Gambian people once in every five years and that is when elections draw nearer, so as to use them.

He advised them not to allow themselves to be used only in the election period, which serves as a trade season for the opposition, hence it is the only time when they go begging around for money.  

Like speakers before him, Minister Bajo used the podium to call on women and youths to go out very early and cast their vote on polling day. “Voting is your civic right and you as patriotic Gambians should not be left behind on Election Day.  Your voter’s cards are all electronic, if you fail to vote we will know who and who voted and those who did not vote,” he concluded.