PDOIS lifer and member of National Assembly, Sidia Jatta, has lifted the lid on the strife between former UDP national president Dembo ‘by Force’ and Ousainou Darboe over their party’s participation in the coalition that gave Jammeh a shellacking in 2016 elections.
Speaking in a lengthy interview with Fatu Network over the weekend, Sidia revealed:
“Darboe never wanted to be part of a coalition unless he was going to be the leader. He felt he has the biggest party and he still nurtured that thinking. Dembo ‘by Force’ had an argument with lawyer Darboe and wrote his resignation letter. But Halifa took it away from him and convinced him not to do it. Darboe was angry with him for the fact that he got UDP involved in the coalition. He said ‘Dembo by Force’ sold UDP by joining the coalition.
I was sitting next to Darboe at a meeting when he threatened to sue anyone who asked Barrrow to serve only three years. It’s like pissing on mat as Mandinkas say because it affects everyone. We have all seen what ended happening.
Barrow told me he was going to resign after three years. He was sitting by me and he told me with his own mouth. Darboe hammered the nail on the coffin of the coalition”.