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Momodou
Denmark
11634 Posts |
 Posted - 30 Aug 2010 : 18:02:31
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Dailynews Editorial: Will The Opposition Parties Go to the 2011 Polls In Unity?
In this muscle stretching moment for political parties in The Gambia, we are confronted with a million dollar question of whether the 2011 general and presidential elections Gambians will witness a unified opposition going to the polls against president Jammeh. Gambian opposition parties are fragmented and are not able to forge a coalition or alliance to face their natural opponent, the incumbent President Jammeh in the last general and presidential elections.
As concern citizen has authored a piece published in the opinion column of our last edition that he was disturbed by the ongoing conflict in the opposition camp as the elections get closer. We do not know whether we at the Daily News will go that far to describe their relationship as ongoing conflict, but what is certain is that the opposition are nowhere closer to a merger. Failure for the opposition to come together means a slimmer chance for them to effect a change.
We want to agree with the concern citizen that there is nothing stopping them from coming together if bigger countries with more diverse cultures and political inclinations like Senegal, Great Britain, and others elsewhere in Africa can do it. These countries have much larger number of voters on their voter registers than us. Ours is with only little over 400,000 registered voters.
The author of the opinion went all out to accuse Lawyer Ousainou Darboe of the United Democratic Party (UDP) and Halifa Sallah of National Alliance for Democracy and Development (NADD), as per his article of posing the greatest challenge towards the realization of a united front. Whether those accusations hold water or not, it is for the public, more so the opposition supporters to pass judgement.
Politics in Africa today is calling for either a merger or a strong alliance among the opposition political parties if they are to make any head way. In many cases a merger is formed when parties fail to secure the percentage of votes required to win an election, but in a situation where there is a second round of voting and not where one can be a winner by a simple majority. This is the situation in The Gambia; with simple majority a presidential candidate is declared winner.
This will remain the case unless and until members of the National Assembly change that provision in our constitution to enable a candidate with 50% votes to win presidential elections. One just needs a simple majority to become president in The Gambia, which is rather very unfortunate for us as a country.
Countries that are making head way democratically do have a 50% requirement clause in their constitutions. It only makes sense before any person leads a country at least 50% of the total votes are casted in his or her favour.
So it is going to be a wasteful expenditure of efforts for the opposition parties to go to the poll in isolation in a country where there is a simple majority system. We are joining the concern to call on the opposition to put their difference aside and face the realities so as to go elections united.
We want to conclude this editorial with a reference to the New African magazine of August/September 2010 edition, page 121: “There is no way a lawmaker who fights and tears attires in the chambers of the National Assembly won’t fight at the polling station to ensure that his election carries the day.” This reference depicts behaviour of Nigerian members of the National Assembly who fought in the parliament over the speakers’ desire to purchase a bullet proof car.
So in the same vein, if the opposition in The Gambia fail to have a solution to the issues of coming together then one will doubt their ability to solve bigger issues at national level if they come to the whelm of the affairs of this country. The opposition should know that they are an alternative government faced with a gigantic challenge of winning the confidence of citizens.
Source: Dailynews
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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toubab1020
12306 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2010 : 18:19:50
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"the concern citizen" He who dare not write his name.I can understand that in The Gambia.
Opposition,does not exist ,totally fragmented,no hope there . |
"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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Edited by - toubab1020 on 30 Aug 2010 18:21:37 |
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kobo
United Kingdom
7765 Posts |
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toubab1020
12306 Posts |
Posted - 02 Sep 2010 : 15:07:17
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The Gambia Matters Party ?Who are they what are their policies ? Kobo you must know about them its the first time I have seen them mentioned let alone be part of any opposition set up.
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"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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kobo
United Kingdom
7765 Posts |
Posted - 02 Sep 2010 : 15:17:53
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News to me also but writer of letter signed as declared leader! IT COULD BE A MILITANT ON GAMBIA MATTERS ONLY (SIGNATURE) AND NOT A FORMAL PARTY? TO MAKE FURTHER RESEARCH |
Edited by - kobo on 02 Sep 2010 15:18:28 |
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toubab1020
12306 Posts |
Posted - 02 Sep 2010 : 15:27:55
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| I await your research, Thanks. |
"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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dbaldeh
USA
934 Posts |
Posted - 03 Sep 2010 : 10:43:31
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Gambia Matters Party as far as know is pioneered by one individual living in the UK. His name is M.I Banoramas and he has been on the media lately.
I don't know him but I know he is another activist that sees the need to form a party. It is not unusual to see Gambians forming individual or a three people political parties.
I don't know how realistic Banoramas is but I doubt if his party is even registered in the Gambia. It is like Kukoi forming his own party, Uncle Matthew Jallow forming his own party at the Gambia echo etc.
I did not see any party emblem or manifesto or any other member of this party. Oh well, it is the same with Gambia Moral Congress. We know about Mai Fatty and Wandifa Saidykhan but no other executive members. We did ask Mai Fatty a question in an interview about other members but he dodged the question. |
Baldeh,
"Be the change you want to see in the world" Ghandi
Visit http://www.gainako.com for your daily news and politics |
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