Dakar, Senegal - One of the two opposition candidates running on the ticket of Gambia’s opposition United Democratic Party (UDP), Ousainou Darboe has decried 'tribalism in politics,” saying his party does not “play tribal card.” Addressing a political rally in Bakau, one of Gambia’s big towns, Darboe said 'Gambia cannot afford the type of tribal politics seen in other parts of Africa.'

as the campaign progress ahead of the West African nation’s 24 November polls,

“Gambia is one family and has been one family since 1965 and will continue to be so,” he emphasized, assuring that his party did not believe in political tribalism, while accusing incumbent President Yahya Jammeh of “playing the tribal card.”

This, Darboe noted, is evident in Jammeh’s appointments to certain positions in both his ruling party and in government.

On his party’s plans, the UDP leader announced that they had been spelt out in “The Yellow Book” and recorded in cassette tapes and other campaign materials. According to him, they revolve around “what should be done and can be done towards creating another Gambia without Yahya Jammeh.”

According to him, the President and his government have created so much hardship for many Gambians across the board as well as bad image and shame for the country.

Meanwhile, as the UDP was busy holding its rally in Bakau, President Jammeh and his ruling Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC) were also said to be in the North Bank Region of Gambia, canvassing for votes.

In one of his meetings, Jammeh strongly warned against “politics of violence and crime” during campaigns and the entire electioneering process.

Gambia's presidential election will take place 24 November.

Pana 19/11/2011