By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT
A screenshot purportedly from a Facebook page named “UDP TV& MEDIA” calling for a boycott of QTV and QCell has been making the rounds.
The post, which was shared 17 times from 14th December, 2021, states “To all our supporters we boycott QTv and QCell .Unsubscribe now” and is purportedly signed by “UDP Media communication Dr. Amadou Scatter Janneh”.
The post has been shared here, here, here and here
Fact Check: A counter post by Amadou Scattred Janneh debunked the boycott claims, saying “This is fake. I have never called for any boycott in my personal capacity or as chair of UDP’s Media & Communication Committee”.
In the past, the UDP has declined the offer to air its programs on State-run Gambia Radio and Television Services due to a disagreement on the content. Some of the Party’s supporters have also called for a boycott of the popular online Media House, The Fatu Network.
When the post started circulating it appeared that QTV, the Television Station affiliated to QGroup and QCell Mobile telecommunications, would be the next on the “boycott list”.
However, this time a statement has been released from the United Democratic Party Leader Hon Ousainu Darboe dispelling the notion that the boycott was sanctioned by the Party.
The statement calls for tolerance and to avoid validating the label of “intolerance” attached to the Party.
“I see the campaign for a boycott of the Jah businesses is intensifying. I agree entirely with Amadou [Scattred Janneh] that we should be liberal minded, accept and respect choices made by individuals and groups. This campaign strongly validates the label of intolerance attached to us.”
“Although I asked the media team to issue a statement confirming that Ambassador Bah’s appeal was her personal view and not the official position of the party, it does appear that the party is supporting the campaign as our platform is being used to promote the boycott.”
“As a responsible and accommodating party we should engage Jah to win him over. We are putting our party in bad light. Let us accept that not everyone will support us but that does not mean we should adopt a stand that will further alienate us from some section of the population.”
The post published by the “UDP TV& Media” contains a number of grammatical errors and a wrong spelling of Dr Janneh name.
Therefore, the claim that the United Democratic Party has called for a boycott of QTV is not true.
Verdict: FALSE
This article was first published by FactCheckGambia.org in the link below.
Fact-Check: Did the United Democratic Party Sanction the ‘QTV Boycott’?
