Seedy Njie Has Lost the Moral Authority to Lead in the National Assembly!!
By Ndey Jobateh
The most astonishing part of Seedy Njie’s statement is not his denial of tribalism. It is his attempt to portray himself as the victim.
Reading his statement, one would think that the greatest injustice in this entire affair is that his private conversation became public. One would think that the real tragedy is the criticism he now faces. One would think that the main victims are Seedy Njie, his reputation, and his family.
Before Seedy Njie asks Gambians to consider his pain, he should first acknowledge the pain of those who may have paid the price for the attitudes exposed in that recording.
That conversation is not about him. It is about the lives of countless Gambians whose future may have been decided in rooms where merit was secondary and tribe was part of the calculation.
Seedy Njie spent considerable time explaining why he is not anti-Mandinka.
He spoke about his Mandinka wife, Mandinka friends, Mandinka staff, and Mandinka associates.
Yet he never addressed the central moral question: What about the Mandinkas whose appointments he allegedly opposed because they were Mandinka?
But what about the countless Gambians whose lives may have been affected by the very attitudes revealed in that recording?
What about the public servants who were denied opportunities because of political affiliation or tribal identity?
What about the qualified Gambians who were overlooked for promotion, appointment, or advancement because someone in a position of influence viewed them through the lens of tribe rather than merit?
What about the families whose breadwinners lost opportunities because public office became a tool for political and tribal calculations?
What about the psychological damage inflicted on capable and hardworking citizens who repeatedly saw less qualified people elevated above them, not because of competence, but because of connections, loyalty, or ethnic considerations?
Those people have families too.
Those people have children too.
Those people have dreams, ambitions, and responsibilities too.
Every denied promotion affects a household.
Every unfair appointment affects a career.
Every act of discrimination affects a family.
Every decision that places the wrong person in public office carries consequences far beyond the individual involved. It affects the quality of public services, the efficiency of government institutions, and the trust citizens place in their country.
When an unqualified person is promoted over a qualified one, it is not just an administrative decision. It is a decision that can alter the trajectory of multiple lives.
One of the most revealing aspects of Seedy Njie’s statement is not who he apologized to, but who he did not apologize to.
He apologized to President Barrow!
He apologized to Hon. Lamin Queen Jammeh!!
He apologized for any inconvenience caused by the publication of the recording!
Yet nowhere in his lengthy statement does he directly address the Mandinkas who may have felt hurt, insulted, excluded, or discriminated against by the sentiments expressed in that
We continue to urge The Gambia National Assembly to seriously consider whether Seedy Njie should remain in positions of national responsibility, particularly as Chairperson of the Security and Defence Committee.
This is not a call driven by political disagreement. It is a call driven by the need to protect public confidence in our democratic institutions.
The Chairperson of the Security and Defence Committee occupies one of the most sensitive positions in the National Assembly. The office demands impartiality, sound judgment, national outlook, and an unwavering commitment to treating all Gambians equally regardless of tribe, region, religion, or political affiliation.
The controversy surrounding Seedy Njie’s recorded remarks has severely undermined public confidence in his ability to discharge those responsibilities without prejudice.
