26/08/2026
TO TOMBONG JATTA AND THE OLD MOVIE
First of all, the ordinary people of APRC should not fall for this transactional politics.
Let us ask ourselves a simple question. Who are the real beneficiaries of the NPP/APRC alliance. It is not the grassroots. It is the few big names who use Jammeh and the APRC name to blackmail President Barrow and secure positions for themselves.
Let us remember how we got here. These same people misled former President Jammeh to reject and annul the election results. That decision created a national crisis and forced Jammeh into exile. That was not done to protect APRC. It was done so that certain individuals would not be pushed to the opposition bench where they knew they could not survive politically. It was the same Tombong Jatta gang that led that trap against Jammeh. Because they knew too well that Jammeh conceding defeat was the end of their flamboyant lifestyle.
After Jammeh left for exile, the same group started a campaign pretending they were defending Jammeh and the people of Foni. In truth they were busy hijacking APRC from Jammeh and from the loyal supporters who built the party. They turned APRC into a bargaining chip to lobby for jobs and favors in the Barrow government.
Before the deal, their speeches were full of attacks on Adama Barrow. After the political agreement, their tone changed completely. The attacks shifted away from Barrow and were redirected at Jammeh and his loyal supporters. Not long after, we saw appointments as speakers, ambassadors, managing directors and other senior government positions. At the same time, the campaign to bring Jammeh back faded away.
Now they do not want peace between ordinary UDP supporters and ordinary APRC supporters who have rejected the NPP APRC alliance. Unity between the people is a direct threat to their hold on power and privileges.
So let us ask a few honest questions. If their accusations against UDP are true, why has the young soldier Mr Sarjo who was wrongfully dismissed not been reinstated even after a court ruling. Why has Jammeh’s compound in Kanilai not been returned to him and instead turned into a military barrack. Why are foreign soldiers still stationed in Foni up to today.
The reality is clear. Tombong Jatta and his group are exploiting APRC for personal gain. The earlier the APRC base recognizes this and says no to Barrow, the better for the future of the party.
While they play politics of blackmail, Gambians are suffering. The cost of living is unbearable. Electricity supply is poor across the country. Unemployment continues to rise. Our currency keeps losing value against other currencies. People are being attacked and killed almost every week. Roads are in bad condition. The national debt has grown to unsustainable levels. Even our own fish from our own waters is too expensive for ordinary families to buy.
Our hospitals are in crisis. There is no medication in our hospitals. Everything patients need they must buy from outside. Ticket fees have been increased and patients are suffering. Mothers, children and the elderly are left to struggle for basic healthcare.
And what is their answer to all this hardship. They want us to forget these problems and go back to the old game of setting UDP supporters against APRC supporters. What benefit do we gain from that fight. Nothing. Because in reality it is NPP and Barrow who are responsible for the pain in our homes and in our communities.
The people deserve leadership that solves problems, not leadership that trades in blackmail and division. Come election day, we must vote for solutions, for dignity, and for a better Gambia.
Hagi Suwaneh
