Dear Editor,
Your interview with Omar Jallow (alias OJ), the former Agriculture Minister, has been brought to my attention and in the report published in your website, I noticed that OJ is still blaming my party leader, His Excellency Lawyer Ousainu Darboe, for his role in putting forward the UDP tactical alliance proposal to Coalition 2016 in the lead up to the 2017 National Assembly elections.
I find it incredible and totally beyond imagination that OJ still has the guts to blame anybody but himself for the disintegration of the coalition. Here are the facts on the issue:
- The coalition agreement and the draft MOU (I say draft because it is not signed) did not cover the National Assembly and local government elections. The independent candidate issue only applies to the presidential election;
- Even Halifa Sallah, who was the lead proponent of the Independent Candidate route, did not make his proposal on the basis of the coalition agreement or the draft MOU. As a matter of fact, he conceded that no agreement covered the National Assembly and local government elections;
- As a result of the coalition agreement not covering the National Assembly and local government elections, another discussion had to take place to find a way forward. It is in that light that a meeting was convened on the issue and proposals made;
- The UDP proposed a tactical alliance, which was supported by the majority including President Adama Barrow. PDOIS, on the other hand, proposed the independent candidate route and this earned support from the PPP. It appears that Lawyer Darboe’s only crime here is putting forward a UDP proposal. But wasn’t that what the occasion called for; proposals to engender discussion and eventually a resolution?
- When the president asked for a vote to be taken on the issue, the majority voted in favour of UDP’s proposal. Notwithstanding, OJ still chose to defy the president and the majority decision of the coalition. How then can Lawyer Darboe who was in tandem with the majority decision be the problem but not he, OJ, who was not? What kind of a world does he live in??
- If OJ believes that the Independent Candidate route was what is in the best interest of the country, why then did he put up candidates on a PPP ticket??
- The truth of the matter is that OJ wanted to have equal number of candidates as UDP and was hoping for an opportunity to disguise his candidates with an independent ticket veil. He is just upset that the ruse did not work.
I think it is about time Mr Bigmouth knows what decency means and start clawing back some respect for himself and his legacy as a former minister of state.
SS Daffeh
UDP Member in the UK
Ends