So much has been said and written about Mr. Lamin Waa Juwara’s apparent rapprochement with the ruling APRC party and his recent declaration of his preparedness to defect to the APRC party. Well, following Mr Juwara’s declaration of his readiness to join the ruling APRC party, this reporter sought out the views of Femi Peters, Campaign Manager of the main opposition United Democratic Party, and Henry Gomez, leader of Gambian Peoples’ Democratic Party (GPDP), on this latest development in Gambian politics.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with this reporter, Mr Peters asserted that Lamin Waa Juwara is a Gambian and, like any other Gambian, he has the every right to belong to any political party of his choice. According to the UDP Campaign Manager, people should respect Mr Juwara’s right no matter what. I want to put it very clear that Waa Juwara is a Gambian like anyone of us and he has the right to belong to any political party of his choice,” he said.

Lamin Waa Juwara, who has long held the reputation as one of the most insatiable and articulate critics of President Jammeh’s regime, served first as Propaganda Secretary of United Democratic Party (UDP) for years before forming NDAM.

For his part Mr Henry Gomez, leader of GPDP, had this to say: “I accepted Waa Juwara’s opinion. He has the constitutional right to belong to any political party of his choice. It is all about democracy and I believe that as Gambians, we all should accept one thing and that is to say that President Jammeh has brought progress in this country.”

According to the GPDP leader, Gambians should not see Waa Juwara as a betrayer because, in his view, all APRC militants are Gambians and that joining the ruling APRC for progress is nothing bad.

“If Waa Juwara should have joined a party in Senegal or elsewhere outside this country, then we should feel betrayed but joining the APRC has nothing bad in it. He has the right to join any party he feels like joining,” he said.

In Mr. Gomez’s view, the fact that Waa Juwara has joined APRC is a clear indication that there is real democracy because, according to him, Waa has not been forced to join APRC. “Though he has defected, this should not be seen as a blow to the opposition because every body is replaceable. We have good politicians that can replace him. Let us not be too hard on him,” Mr Gomez concluded.

In what could be seen as a confirmation of the speculation since Mr Lamin Waa Juwara’s apparent rapprochement with the ruling APRC party last year as his appointment into the Interim Management Committee of Brikama Area Council rightly or wrongly suggested, Mr. Lamin Waa Juwara has finally remorselessly declared his preparedness to defect to the APRC party.

The leader of the opposition National Democratic Alliance Movement (NDAM) party made this declaration on Sunday at a mass political rally held in the village of Katamina, Niamina West, in the Central River Region as President Jammeh’s Dialogue with the People tour progressed.

Lamin Waa Juwara, who has long held the reputation as one of the most virulent and potent critics of President Jammeh’s regime, had also been the Propaganda Secretary of the main opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) for years before forming his NDAM party.

To say that his defection to the ruling APRC party was a work in progress might be an understatement, although it was since last year that he was selected by President Jammeh to be part of the Brikama Area Council Interim Management Committee few months prior to the Local Government elections.

Addressing the rally, Mr. Juwara disclosed that he had had a change of heart since the day he was nominated by the President to serve as a member of the Brikama Area Council Interim Management Committee which, he added, was more than honour to him.

According to Waa Juwara, he has been observing the way politics of this country has been prevailing and had become convinced that he has the same ideology with President Jammeh. Consequently, he said, he decided to join the APRC for the interest of the country.

“I went into politics for the interest of the country. And if I see anyone doing good for the country, I should join him for the development of our country,” he said.

Mr. Juwara, a political scientist, expounded that there are two types of politics- politics of confrontation and that of co-operation. He indicated that he believes in politics of co-operation and that that is why he decided to join APRC.

Waa revealed that all the other political parties in the country believe in politics of confrontation, which prompted him to divorce with them.

For his part, President Jammeh maintained that he did not hate the opposition. He was however quick to add that what he would not accept is politics that would hinder the advancement of the country. “Whatever name they want to call me, they can. I don’t mind anything. No white man can fool me. I am not one of those that they can fool,” the President contended.

Speaking earlier, Yankuba Touray, Secretary of State for Fisheries and Water Resources, who is also the APRC National Mobiliser, indicated that Waa Juwara’s defection would no doubt strengthen and consolidate the party.

Meanwhile, earlier on Saturday at a meeting in Brikamaba in the Central River Region, as many as 22 supposed former UDP supporters also announced their defection to the ruling APRC party.