BY: Ralph Ese’Donnu Sawyerr, Information Attaché, Senegal and Gambia.
The Minister of Mines and Marine Resources, who also is the Deputy Chairman of the APC Party Hon. Alhaji Minkailu Mansaray, has said that leadership and power come from the Almighty Allah. Adding that, the destiny of a man must be fulfilled by the divine will of the same Almighty Allah.
He was reacting to a question from this writer on the issue of the Flagbearership of the Party, for which it is wildly rumored that he is interested in.
left to right The Gambia Finance Minister Kolley, Minkailu Mansaray and AMB.Daramy.
Hon. Alhaji Minkailu Mansaray is currently in The Gambia on the invitation of the Governing Council and the Academic Board of the West African Insurance Institute [WAII] as Guest Speaker, at the Institute’s 2015 Graduation ceremony to award certificates and diplomas. The Minister, who is a proud Alumnus, was also conferred as FELLOW of the West African Insurance Institute.
This writer put it to him that, it is an open secret that he looks forward with eager optimism to becoming the flagbearer of the APC Party for the next General elections.
With wide open eyes and with a smile, he had this to say ‘’let me preface my reaction, by saying that I am a born Muslim who strongly holds the view as a believer that power and authority comes from the Almighty Allah. No one will be a leader without the divine authority of the almighty Allah. Therefore, I firmly stand on the promises of Allah’’.
Hon. Minkailu Mansaray
Again, I put it to him that all what he has said did not satisfy my question. He smiled and continued ‘’By his divine authority I am the Deputy Chairman of the Ruling APC Party and its this Party that midwifed the APC government. By my position, I take specific and general instructions from the Leader and Chairman of the Party, Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma’’.
According to Hon. Minkailu Mansaray, the APC Party has taken a decision not to be distracted by succession issues but rather to be focused in supporting the government to deliver on its promises and to work assiduously on its Agenda for prosperity.
‘’Therefore, as Deputy Leader and Chairman, one of my responsibilities is to ensure that the Party programs and decisions are constructively carried out. The Party being one of the oldest existing in West Africa is an Institution and not a social club. It is organic in its activities and therefore growing very rapidly’’ he explained.
The Minister said that to put his answer to my question in perspective, he will continue to remain a very loyal, committed and dedicated member of the Party. ‘’My loyalty to the Party leadership is unalloyed and I will not therefore jump on the wagon of others on succession drive’’ he said.
When I asked him if all that he has said means a yes for the flagbearer, he replied thus ‘‘I Minkailu Mansaray will be bound by any decision the Party will have to take in respect of the flagbearership of the Party’’.
As to whether he thinks he will be wildly supported and has the popularity to be able to lead the Party to victory in the next general elections if awarded the flagbearership, the Mines Minister simply said ‘’ ‘’certainly yes by the special grace of Allah’’
Commenting on the WHO pronouncement that Ebola has ended in Sierra Leone, Hon. Minkailu Mansaray said it is indeed a big relief on the part of government and the people as government will now be able to continue from where it stopped its developmental plans that was halted by the evading virus.
left to right The Gambia Finance Minister Kolley, Minkailu Mansaray and AMB.Daramy.
Hon.Minkailu Mansaray
