Seriously, OJ Isn’t Helping

Seriously, our problems are bigger than we thought. Less than four months to the presidential elections, with no possible coalition talks yet, these parties have no formula for how they could find a consensus on WHO/WHAT leads, HOW/WHY.

The party (People’s Progressive Party) that does not have an intention of putting up a candidate in December election but a crucial player at the negotiation table, is complicating things when it wants all registered parties to be (numerical) equals at the table. If a veteran politician like ‪‎OJ‬ believes that ‪ALL‬ parties are ‪equal‬ especially in ‪strength‬ and numbers, because  ‘none can win elections on their own’, we’re in serious trouble. No disrespect but it is unfair to say the United Democratic Party and Gambia Progressive Democratic Party are equal in strength, or People’s Democratic Organisation for Independence and Socialism and National Democratic Action Movement are. That’s dishonest. Of course, we want all these parties to respectfully sit at the table as equals (heads of parties) but we should duly give all their rightful credit for an honest discourse to be had.

True, the need for all to build unity and put up one candidate against Yaya Jammeh is paramount. We ALL know that. The urgency to come together to contest the elections is necessary but it’s obvious that it’s becoming a marriage of convenience. IF these parties/leaders are unable to come together at a time that one of their own was murdered and several others persecuted, I’m giving up on a possibility to coalesce.

I’ll respect the rights of registered parties and Gambian electorate to choose whether or not to go elections, but I’ve given up on hope for change through that route.

Pata Saidykhan

Ends

26 Comments

  1. I think you UDP militants should forget about OJ and his numerous interviews and focus on what is good for the Gambia and Darboe and co languishing in jail. These people in jail are senior citizens who deserve nothing but special treatment but their faith and lives greatly depend on the outcome of this election. UDP should be busy sensitizing Gambians the importance of voting not only attending rallies because from experience UDP always pulls large crowd when it come to meetings which does not reflect in election results.
    Being the largest opposition party, it will be good for UDP to lead the coalition discussion knowing what is at stake. When Uncle ousainou and co left their comfortable not for position, money or prestige but for Gambia. I see no reason why people should be distracted by people who are not out for anything.

    I am not affiliated to any political party nor interested in any political position but one thing I know is that no single opposition party can defeat Jammmeh with all these bad laws.

    Please save the lives of our fathers.
    Thank you and I hope it will not be taken personal but seen as a concern.

  2. Pata, I join Kaddy in the conclusion that it is a “distraction” to be concentrating on people like OJ. I think he is the least problem we are facing.

    I even believe that UDP should take a backseat and encourage PPP,NRP, PDOIS and these fringe parties to come up with a unity candidate of their own. UDP can then decide to support or present own candidate.

    I think the foremost role of UDP must be to continue to demand Electoral reform, Freeing of Darboe &Co. , and the return of Solo’s body.

    • I have no political exposure but O.J have demonstrated outright that he has no political sophistication at all by holding and expressing such a view of his like that…… I suppose a coalition in the end does not exclude the ordinary supporters who have all rights to vote in any major decision making of a selected committe or executives of any opposition coalition. It demonstrates how we are still suffering in our states of minds when elderly statesmen like O.J can turn a blind eye to the easy and straight forward concept of an opposition coalition. It is a LIE that parties should be considered numerically equal in the advent of an opposition coalition. It is blatantly arrogant creepy and dumb to say something like this in the world of civilised politics. This is not a time to be enchanted by praise singing but indeed a seriuos time for elderly statesmen to explore deep down within their hearts in order to discover for themselves what is true, real, and feasible. This is a most sustainable way in garanteeing a civilised political future for the generations to come. I think coalition is to be about unseating a despot to relax muscles again in order to get ready to lay out a constitutional political playfield whereby, it will be more or less impossible for the state to abuse power or arbitrate in the field of politics of the Gambia in the future.

      Say, ‘free Ousainou and the UDP executive!’

  3. @Kaddy, many people have preferred the vocabulary, LANGUISH to be synonymous with Ousainou Darboe and executive members condition of illegal jailing but who knows many others may prefer, VICTORIOUS.
    Ousainou Darboe and his executives needed a better treatment of the ordinary Gambian people in their very homes, communities and on their roads of daily livelihood and wants them to be a people who know to decide their constitutional destiny by themselves. This is what the illegal state of thugs in Khakis are exactly fighting against to keep them in power to organise crime against innocent citizens.

  4. Kaddy I concur it is self evident that no single party can win and that a coalition of the willing should be the new strategy, PPP and PDOIS have an agenda. The sooner decent citizens figure their games the better,

    I think it will be a good political strategy for UDP to announce their candidate and start negotiating with other parties from strength and respect. If a youthful charismatic man/woman is chosen he/she can approach GMC, GDC and NPR

  5. The rhetorical question before the community is whether OJ is a problem and my answer would be an emphatic “NO, OJ is not a problem.”

    The problem, as far as forming a winning all party alliance is concerned, lies in the refusal of people to recognise and accept the facts and factors that are peculiar to The Gambia…and the rejection of even the idea that parties must sit at the negotiating table as equal partners, is an example of the absurdities that continue to frustrate alliance efforts. Which party is going to come to an all party negotiation table as a junior/inferior partner…? That will not work because I don’t think it is ever going to happen…

    Of course, parties are endowed with different and unequal resources and attraction/polling qualities or influence, but these differences/factors, rather than being perceived as the predeterminants to inter-party relationship, should be the sort of bargaining chips that parties should bring to the table, to be used to achieve their demands or an outcome as close to their demands, as possible.. After all, any negotiation process involves “give and take” to achieve a particular desired outcome or something closer…

    • The electorate votes must have to be respected in any how in any ooposition coalition executive committee’s decision making. What is absurd is for any opposition executive committee to make or take decisions that will not reflect a general opposition coalition electorate’s primary results. The pettiness lies exactly in the point that it is a time for elderly statesmen to make a round table talk on who to be the coalition candidate.

    • Janjanbureh

      Bax, I do not understand how some of you think. If you think that every party is equal just because they have a name and hand full of supporters then that is dishonesty and lack of respect of others. I never heard of any coalition when all parties are equal when every partner is not bringing equal things on the table. No party will ever accept that. If you are dreaming stop the dreaming and wake up. Bax, you will not accept that same idea or your party will not accept it if they are the majority. Why do you think others should accept that? UDP will never accept that kind of coalition today or tomorrow. That is a fake deal if you ask me.

      • Pata, you and OJ are now saying the same thing. According to you OJ said he wants all registered parties to be (numerical) equals at the table because ‘none can win elections on their own’.
        Pata also accepts that:“we want all these parties to respectfully sit at the table as equals (heads of parties) but we should duly give all their rightful credit for an honest discourse to be had”.
        Pata, OJ is not opposed to according rightful credit to each party during the discussion. You are the one thinking out loudly.

  6. 1. Tell us how Macky Sallah (who formed a political party within three years) became President of Senegal through Benno Seegil Senegal Coalition and somersaulted Edrissa Secka (who was leader of largest opposition party at that time prior to elections, 2nd Tanor Jeng and 3rd Mustapha Niasse)?

    2. In UK PRIOR to the 2010 General elections held between Gordon Brown as Leader of Labour, David Cameron Tory Leader and Nick Clegg Leader of Liberal Democrats that resulted in hung parliament and by default eventually brought the 2010 Coalition government; was there any Coalition talks to strategise in bringing down Labour Government under Gordon Brown? Also when Coalition talks became necessary to address the hung parliament result and form a government, did David Cameron Leader of Tory demand that Nick Clegg MUST RALLY BEHIND TORY?

    Politics is a dynamic process and the Gambia is multiparty system so Coalition follows a democratic process for citizenry not self-perpetuation and partisanship!

    OJ is right that all registered opposition political parties are at par to consider strategically uniting against Jammeh/APRC government under UNITED NATIONAL FRONT!

  7. 1. Tell us how Macky Sallah (who formed a political party within three years) became President of Senegal through Benno Seegil Senegal Coalition and somersaulted Edrissa Secka (who was leader of largest opposition party at that time prior to elections, 2nd Tanor Jeng and 3rd Mustapha Niasse)?

    2. In UK PRIOR to the 2010 General elections held between Gordon Brown as Leader of Labour, David Cameron Tory Leader and Nick Clegg Leader of Liberal Democrats that resulted in hung parliament and by default eventually brought the 2010 Coalition government; was there any Coalition talks to strategise in bringing down Labour Government under Gordon Brown? Also when Coalition talks became necessary to address the hung parliament result and form a government, did David Cameron Leader of Tory demand that Nick Clegg MUST RALLY BEHIND TORY?

    Politics is a dynamic process and the Gambia is multiparty system so Coalition follows a democratic process for citizenry not self-perpetuation and partisanship!

    OJ is right that all registered opposition political parties are at par to consider strategically uniting against Jammeh/APRC government under UNITED NATIONAL FRONT! It appears UDP is demanding preconditions (about being “biggest” or “largest” opposition party) prior to dialogue but THERE SHALL BE NO PRECONDITIONS IN COALITION TALKS BUT RESOLUTIONS AND PROPOSALS ARE CONSIDERED ON THE TABLE BY ALL COALITION PARTNERS FOR CONSENSUS, AGREEMENT & PACT!

    • Dawda, your formula seems to me very strange. It also seems to me strange that all the other parties are demanding from the UDP leadership in the coalition talks but on an equal footing. But now that Darboe is in prison someone from the other parties need to step in and take the lead in coalition talks. Blaming UDP for sticking to a principle, but failing to come together in their own way, is a grave laziness on the part of PDOIS, PPP, NRP,GDC etc.

      I think the incarceration of Darboe , should be a chance for NRP, PPP, PDOIS and GDC to come together and present a unity candidate of their own without the UDP. The UDP can decide if to support that candidate or still Put up a candidate.

      • PDOIS have done its strategic and tactical homework for Coalition building, made resolutions and produce Agendas 2011 and 2016 available in public domain as its blueprint and proposals that can be considered on the table, when FORMAL DIALOGUE OPENS!

        Am not blaming UDP but have made realistic contrast with Senegal and UK to point out clearly the facts in line with nature of Gambian politics and its Constitution (ie. The Gambia Constitution under “Merger of Political Parties”).

        • Well putting blueprints, proposals, agendas and presenting presidential candidate into public domain requires no particular strenuousness. Any one can just throw out publications and expect others to call on you and beg for the way forward.

          If you are particularly working hard for coalition, you would leave your home and individually visit or invite all stakeholders for one on one meetings until a workable blueprint for cooperation is achieved.

  8. Janjanbureh

    All these examples you gave was because there was first round elections and then the parties negotiated on a coalition after the results. But in the case of The Gambia, there is no second rounds only majority votes wins. In that case, the parties should be rewarded based on size, structure through the country, previous results and financial support they bring along with them. I just disagree with the notion that no opposition party can give the elections all by themselves. Therefore, all parties are equal on the negotiation table. That is a fallacy and will not be accepted by the larger parties who have more to lose. Let there be the coalition of the willing and the rest can whatever they want to do. Case closed.

  9. ArseFootball

    In short-I hope these parties will unite as one, under one candidate and challenge the APFRC.
    They can agree to have this candidate to be in government – say for 3 years and then call another election in which all parties can participate under their own umbrella.
    That way
    1-This government is gotten ride of and
    2-The conditions underground have been sorted for better/genuine election for everyone both home and abroad
    With this in mind, all the parties will have to start as equal partners.
    As it clear, that no single party can win the incumbent, with the way things are:
    The coming together will help sort that out and give the UDP a better chance of being in government.
    Either that or serious concessions will have to be made or agreed.
    However small the other parties might be, the UDP needs them to win the elections.
    They have nothing to lose, while the UDP as it stand has alot to loose with most of their leadership in prison-most of whom are in poor health.
    Let’s see The Gambia-and stop all this pettiness and this sense of entitlement.
    Where has it taken us for the past 22 years-no where.

    • Hah, it is the demon on its take off as hypocrisy sadly hits back on us. The creepy type of Gambians’ lack of will power in paying due respect to the ordinary electorate’s vote and their hideous cultural sentimentalism is evident in every gaseous ideal, comment, views or opinions they express. The true might be that all intentions now were all premeditated that, other opposition ploitical parties will find unity amongst themselves when Ousainou Darboe and his entire party leadership are sent to prison. Then anyone opposed to their decisions would be those warmongers in the diaspora waging for war in a peaceful country thus to be accused as well, Jammeh enablers. Damn! Shameless hypocrisy at its best. The devil always want you to be like him because his junk is always intented to trash on the good and righteous. Ousainou Darboe and the UDP executive are POLITICAL PRISONERS! Say, ‘Free them!’

      • Bourne, don’t mistake my call for the other parties to put their acts together, as some kind of betrayal of Darboe & Co. On the contrary, I am enjoining the other parties to show how serious they must be taken.
        All along they have complained about UDP leadership’s intransigeance as reasons for coalition building failure. Now they can demonstrate to the people, that they are serious and a force to reckon with without UDP leadership on the ground.

        I am still standing with Darboe &Co and their unconditional release, Return of Solo’s body and a comprehensive ELECTORAL REFORM. These prerequisites are for me, the conditions that will bring about peaceful change in the Gambia.

        If PPP, NRP, GDC and other fringe parties think they can pull it off with all the hurdles firmly in place, good luck. But if they could at least agree among themselves, the squabbling would have an end.

        Indeed, FREE DARBOE & Co. That is the priority at hand.

    • Thanks ArseFootball! Some selfish UDP militants are thinking citizenry are seeking UDP government and having a self-perpetuating UDP President and government takes precedence over uniting under a common political platform to topple bloody Jammeh/APRC regime.

      Without dialogue how can contentious issues be address to solve Coalition building impasse of opposition parties and strategically unleash a formidable UNITED NATIONAL FRONT. If things didn’t fell apart NADD would have salvage the country, bloody tragedies since then like rampant arrests, dissapearances, extrajudicial killings, Femi Peter’s, Amadou Sanneh, UDP leader and entire leadership would never be jailed. UDP Leader would have been President of this country long time or decade ago.

      PDOIS IS A DYNAMIC POLITICAL PARTY AND UDP MUST EMBRACE THEM TO SAVE THE GAMBIA, COME DECEMBER 2016! ANOTHER GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY FOR OPPOSITION FRONT!

  10. The personal attacks will not change anything on two different conflicting agendas between UDP and PDOIS.

    The contentious issues are Coalition building process (without preconditions) and all issues addressed on the table. effectively PPP resolutions endorses NADD MOU for 2006, PDOIS Agendas 2011 and 2016.

    1. If UDP Leader was eligible he stand a chance of being flag bearer and now since UDP has leadership crises let it solve that and then come on the table for coalition deal (be it “Party -led ” “coalition of the willing” or “United National Front” also “coalition of the willing” under “MERGER OF POLITICAL PARTIES)!

    2. The point on UDP position is all other opposition parties rallying behind UDP which didn’t happen in Senegal nor in UK. However as those countries met their constitutional requirements Gambia should also follow suit to follow through The Gambia Constitution. In the constitution it facilitates “UNITED NATIONAL FRONT” through “MERGER OF POLITICAL PARTIES” and there are no room for rallying behind another registered political party or “cross-carpet” technically catered for.

    3. SINCERE FORMAL DIALOGUE IS WAY FORWARD! ONE GAMBIA, ONE NATION AND ONE PEOPLE SUFFERING! GAMBIA KANG KILING!

    The political leaders should be encourage and supported to have dialogue in order to be able to unite immediately. Power struggles without sincere formal dialogue to address the issues confronting opposition front ; especially Coalition building is putting the cart before the horse! Through sincere formal dialogue ALL ISSUES will be addressed on the table; for consensus, agreement, MOU and PACT!

    4. Under our multiparty system each registered political is ready for the elections but be REMINDED THAT NONE WILL RALLY BEHIND THE OTHER SO BLEW AWAY ANOTHER GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY TO FORM UNITED NATIONAL FRONT IN SPIRIT OF COMPATRIOTISM, NATIONAL UNITY AND SOLIDARITY DECEMBER 2016! Let UDP ditch “party-led” and join a Coalition for UNITED FRONT.

    • The golden opportunity is barely at hand. Also I repeat again. Can you demand from ppp, nrp and pdois, whose leadership is free to walk around, to meet and devise a workable coalition paper in the absence of udp leadership? Throwing proposals and agendas into the so called public domain would not do the work by itself. udp is preoccupied with other issues. Hence you Dawda should ask Sallah, Bah, Jallow and Kandeh to step in and fill the void.

      • Your voice and opinion does not represent position of UDP!

        What about the diaspora activists (especially DUGA & CORDEG) sponsored Gambia United for Change (GUC) coalition/alliance of UDP, PPP, GMC & NRP of November/December 2013, alienating PDOIS?

        Why NRP deserted first and UDP started campaigning on its own since last year, without any sham coalition/alliance partner?

        PDOIS have done its homework and Plan A is United National Front (Grand Coalition of all registered opposition parties and independent candidates through national unity &solidarity). Plan B no United National Front they will contest like UDP preparing to contest on its own political platform. It is legitimate and already Halifa Sallah as Secretary General of PDOIS is the party Flag Bearer and Presidential candidate whilst is headless and held opposition front hostage to blew any golden opportunity! Don’t take very seriously December 2016 elections to promote a formidable united opposition with your irresponsible statements and crude partisanship?

      • Your voice and opinion does not represent position of UDP!

        What about the diaspora activists (especially DUGA & CORDEG) sponsored Gambia United for Change (GUC) coalition/alliance of UDP, PPP, GMC & NRP of November/December 2013, alienating PDOIS?

        Why NRP deserted first and UDP started campaigning on its own since last year, without any sham coalition/alliance partner?

        PDOIS have done its homework and Plan A is United National Front (Grand Coalition of all registered opposition parties and independent candidates through national unity &solidarity). Plan B no United National Front they will contest like UDP preparing to contest on its own political platform. It is legitimate and already Halifa Sallah as Secretary General of PDOIS is the party Flag Bearer and Presidential candidate whilst UDP is facing leadership crises, headless and held opposition front hostage to blew any golden opportunity! Don’t take very seriously December 2016 elections to promote a formidable united opposition with your irresponsible statements and crude partisanship?

        • You are right. Udp is in a crisis, headless.
          The executive leadership is in prison and I think it is obvious that they are in a crisis. Though for a noble duty owed (to Solo Sandeng) that is already being mastered.

          But then how can that leadership hold the other opposition parties hostage? Again, it is obvious that other opposition leaders, whose movement are not restricted, need to step into the void and agree among themselves. The absence of unity among ppp, nrp , pdois, cannot be attributed to the Udp leadership languishing in jail.

          By the way, the so called golden opportunity existed earlier when Solo was killed. If the other opposition leaders have had stood their ground as Darboe did, we would have sent a clear message to the regime that impunity will not be condone and the Election must not only be free and fair but also the draconian electoral laws must be abrogated.

          This is why Solo died!

          • Kinteh , these people did not care about electoral reforms or the constitutional rights of their fellow citizens . They have considers peaceful protest as udp problem while the bigotry ones among them considers it as Mandinka problem . As you indicated , they missed the golden opportunity when they refused to join forces with udp but their agenda is to go for an election for the sake of it . Pdois knows they cannot Win anywhere as far as presidential election is concern . All these noise is online where you have few semi-educated and indocrinated people makes the biggest noise. Instead of fighting to change the condition of bad electoral process , they are fighting to entrench dictatorship by acknowledging and accepting those conditions . They want to stay relevant as long as Jammeh is in power . Remember , these people has been in politics for 40 years without any significant support base in the country but they have to play politics to save their business interest and to legitimize dictatorship . In return they are given freedom and opportunity to do whatever they want . As yero Ba once stated here , pdois has confident and trust of jammeh’s regime .

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