By Tabora Bojang
Independent Banjul Central National Assembly Member Abdoulie Njai has confirmed his Andandorr Movement is in discussions about the possibility of joining the ruling National People’s Party NPP of President Barrow.
Hon Njai said a decision has not been confirmed yet but their compass remains fixed on one metric alone, which is alignment with optimum service delivery and a shared communal development agenda.
Njai, one of the distinctive voices in the Sixth Legislature, was elected under an independent ticket in 2022, after defeating sitting NAM Muhammed Ndow of the PPP.
Over the past weeks, rumours have been surfacing that Njai was in “advance talks” to join NPP. Reacting to these rumours, Njai who also serves as deputy speaker of the International Youth Parliament, told The Standard yesterday: “I believe during my tenure we have highly augmented the legislative standards. As you know we are approaching the climax of this tenure, and we must confront the reality that a purely independent stance might no longer be sustainable if we are to deliver higher social impact. A political decision is inevitable, and we are taking it with the seriousness it deserves. To contextualise, our initial embrace of independence was deliberate and strategic. It afforded us the rare opportunity for people to weigh our delivery objectively and gauge our output against real legislative and community needs. In that time, we have demonstrated that despite our relative youth, we can lead with drive, clarity of purpose, and uncompromising professionalism. That chapter has served its purpose well, and we carry those lessons forward with pride. “Naturally, this is not a step we are taking lightly, nor in isolation. I have actively consulted with trusted advisers, respected elders, close friends, key constituents whose trust we hold sacred, and, of course, my loved ones, and canvassed a wide spectrum of opinions on the way forward. Their counsel has been deeply humbling and has enriched our perspective immensely,” Njai said.
“That said, institutionally, I do not operate as a free agent. Our Andandorr Movement vests this prerogative in our central committee, and no decision of this magnitude is taken unilaterally; it is strictly collective. We have, of course, been approached by various entities, including the NPP. Our compass has remained fixed on one metric alone, that is, alignment with optimum service delivery and a shared communal development agenda. We do not chase titles, and we certainly do not allow speculation to steer our course,” he stressed.
Njai said they are finalising internal deliberations and a decision will be made public very soon.