PDOIS’ Desk Officer Clarifies Kabiro’s Question

Dear Editor,

I must apologise for my unceremonious absence from your forum even though Mr. Kabiro Janneh's question is still pending. My partner Ousman felt that the reaction of third parties to my opinions were so positive that it was best for me to continue the dialogue with your readers on PDOIS ' policies. I must say that I have been inspired by the numerous compliments. On the other hand I am also inspired by the emergence of other critics and even independent analysts on the way forward for the Gambian economy. I am following all the details and will give our own view once I deem it appropriate to intervene. I hope all the readers would come to realise that an independent newspaper is what the contributors make it to be. All those who have something to say on how to build our country should join us in this debate. I hope we will put sentiments aside and rely on objectivity to continue the debate.

Mr. Janneh is seeking explanation why PDOIS is still in NADD.

The answer is not a complex one.

I was a member of the Technical Committee of NADD, which gave advice to the Executive Committee. There are many developments which readers are ignorant of regarding NADD. I will briefly mention the points, which are relevant to Janneh's question.

First and foremost, it is important to reveal that the Coordinator told the Executive Committee that there were two possible forms of Alliances, which the opposition parties could incorporate. He indicated that one could have an alliance whereby all opposition parties to contest the presidential election could support one party and its leader. He proposed that if the members of the Executive prefer such an Alliance all parties should proceed to carry on their political activities to build their support base and converge six months before a presidential election to exchange notes on which party and leader deserve support as a candidate of the opposition.

The other option brought fought by the Coordinator is the idea of creating an Umbrella Party and use it to mobilise the diverse supporters of the political parties to effect change and then dissolve the party after it carries this mission to allow each party to have equal opportunity to seek the mandate of the people in subsequent elections.

The selection of the presidential candidate could either be done through unanimity by the executive or through a primary comprising the delegates in voting in each ward to choose a presidential candidate and candidates for National Assembly and Council election.

For your information, the parties accepted to adopt the second form of alliance. They signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish NADD and registered it. The IEC reached an agreement with the Executive that it will create rules for such alliances, which will bar parties, which have become members of NADD from putting up candidates under their own umbrella unless they resign from NADD. PDOIS agreed to this condition. This is why in the agreement signed between the APRC and the opposition under the auspices of the Commonwealth all the parties who were members of NADD were represented as a group. Now that the UDP, NRP and NDAM have resigned from NADD the PDOIS will have to hold a congress to get its members to decide whether to stay in NADD or pave its own independent path.

For your information, NADD policies are in line with the policies of all political parties, which stand for the consolidation of the sovereignty of the people. The programme calls for a five year transitional arrangement which will lead to constitutional and electoral reforms as well as the opening up of the media for divergent views and debates on the programmes of all the parties to enable the people to make informed choices. It advocates for financial discipline and people cantered development, an Independent Parliament and judiciary and respect for fundamental rights and freedoms and the rule of law.

This is why PDOIS accepted to be in NADD. There is therefore, nothing wrong with PDOIS staying in NADD if so many parties did not abandon it. There is nothing wrong with PDOIS leaving NADD after such developments since it will still advocate for the NADD programme. In my view, there will be nothing wrong in PDOIS members choosing to remain as part of NADD if it can facilitate the alliance of people with diverse political backgrounds to bring about democratic change. I hope I have answered Janneh's question.

Suwaibou Touray, Serekunda, The Gambia.