INDEPENDENT OBSERVER NEWS MEDIA NETWORK
   
                              EDITORIAL 
   
   
  Leader of the United Democratic Party Ousainou Darboe, yesterday also failed to attend the NADD flag bearer meeting, which was adjourned to Wednesday. He was represented by his deputy Yahya Jallow and Kemesseng Jammeh, said a well placed NADD insider. Darboe's conspicuous absence is indeed worrying at this hour, when the NADD leadership is yet to resolve the flag bearer stalemate. Sending representatives is not just enough as we hinted time and time in the past. Darboe, being a  key stakeholder in this important decision process, should attend such meetings. 
   
  We gathered that an agreement was reached that parties vying for the NADD Presidential seat should accept the outcome of the selection process, even whereas such decisions are not in their favour. Both OJ and Halifa agreed, but Darboe was not there to adopt the said resolution. His representatives at the meeting said they cannot adopt such a resolution in the absence of Darboe. That Darboe, himself should decide and not them. This led to the postponement of the NADD meeting to Wednesday. What is the point of sending Jallow and Kemesseng when they cannot effect decisions during Darboe's absence?  We also learnt that the US based Save The Gambia For Democracy and Development project had dispatched a letter to the NADD leadership, which they made their position on  the flag bearer selection process. Our source said the NADD leadership had included the STGDP letter in their decision process on the looming leadership crisis.
   
  We have been repeatedly warned by Darboe fans to desist from writing on their leader and NADD in general, until a definitive agreement had been reached on the flag bearer issue. Well, one thing our friends failed to understand is that we are not here to dance to any one's tune, besides our esteemed readers, whose interest overrides the interest of few centred individuals, bent on burying the truth. 
   
  We do not mind to be damned for publishing the truth, but we shall continue to update our valued readers about the political transformation taking place in our dear country.  We will not allow to be censored by such individuals, who are not only economical with the truth, but the realities on the ground. Our sources are unimpeachable and we will continue take credible reports they provided to us in good faith.
   
  Mr.Darboe, we harboured no grudges against you and people trying to condemn us for speaking the true state of affairs in our country are enemies of " PRESS FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY."  We are not here to please you, nor to smear your image, as erroneously implied. The press being the watch dog of society, will not allow interest groups to dictate to them how they should do their job. It is an insult for a non journalist to tell us how to run our show. We know our field better than them. In as much as we are opened to observations, criticism and advises, we will never depart from our national duty. We are here to give all shades of society fair coverage, irrespective of one's political affiliation.  
   
  We reported  a lot of stories on Jammeh's corrupt and dictatorial policies and yet some over zealous Darboe fans don't want us to  write or comment about their cherished leader. The other day, a friend  of mine, who shared the same tribe with Darboe told me that "IF I WERE DARBOE'S DAUGHTER, I WILL SUE YOU TO COURT FOR HAVING REPORTED SUCH SENSITIVE STORIES AGAINST  HIS FATHER."  The friend did not stopped at that, he went online attacking my person for merely doing my basic journalistic work. I just laughed over it and said to him she is free to sue me at any given time.  Knowing how rationale Darboe and his family are they will never venture into such undemocratic moves. The same people were calling me day in day out for having the daring mind to expose Jammeh. You can see the hypocrisy here....Well,  they will continue to be shocked, as no one on this universe can deny me my God given right and freedoms in a country, which cherishes  liberties of people.
   
  Back to Mr.Darboe's repeated absence at the ongoing NADD meetings, we as Gambians should be concerned on Darboe's recent move. What is going on? Is Darboe, sending warning messages to his colleagues that without his nomination as flag bearer, he may as well call it a day. More questions than answers. Will Darboe, please attend these meetings in the interest of democratic change in The Gambia. 
   
  We viewed his action as a "total contempt and disrespect" for NADD. Darboe, need to humble himself down and avoid being miscarried by enemies of the opposition. In today's Gambia, if you are not sycophant, liar or hypocrite, you are often termed as an enemy. We must adopt the culture of tolerance and tell our leaders the unpleasant truth. Hypocrisy will not move us any where. Most opposition coalitions in Africa failed, not because there was no popular will for political change, but due to the leadership greed confronting such opposition mergers. NADD, risked to fail, if its leaders are treating one another with contempt.
   
  A NADD insider told me today"We will fail our people, if we cannot speak with one voice. The current trend is not promising at all." Indeed. If Lawyer Darboe, can absent himself from such meetings is indeed worrying. We respect Darboe, but this type of comportment is not the least healthy for NADD. Nobody,  can stop us from commenting on this serious state of affairs. The press stands to be accused of double standards, if it fail to update Gambians on this issue of national concern. 
   
  This issue of "NGAY BULLA FOR YAA PARAY" is not the solution to the current problem faced by NADD. The Gambian public and civilised world reserves the right to know what is happening with Jammeh's government, just like in the case of the opposition. I thank God that I'm not affiliated to any political party in The Gambia and as such I'm free to express my opinion on their activities, be it public or private. I also do not need to seek the permission from anybody to air my views on issues of this nature. Let my critics  call me names,but I will report the truth. 
   
  Some Darboe fans argued that the absence of their leader should not be an issue now since, he Darboe, had delegated two of his party officials to attend. That Hamat Bah, failed to attend the first nomination and yet there was no noise on Bah's absence. Yes,to some extent,  the Darboe supporters are right, but Darboe being a "father figure" in our domestic politics should be a man of example and not otherwise. We always advocated that party leaders should attend the said meetings. It is evident that Hamat Bah, had not  expressed interest in leading NADD. What is clear is that Darboe, OJ and Halifa are the ones so far identified. This rendered their argument untenable. 
   
  Our NADD source said they are hoping that by Wednesday, Darboe will do justice to the coalition and attend in person. The proclamation taken by Halifa and OJ, should be adopted by Darboe, to find a lasting solution to this leadership crisis. The world is closely watching and we hope and pray that Darboe will attend the next meeting. NADD should move on and not to allow to fall into Jammeh's wishes-that is to see a Gambia without an opposition coalition. We rest our case. 
   
  The author is the former Secretary General of The Gambia Press Union and also the Voice of America, radio Banjul Correspondent. Mr.M'Bai, who now resides in the US State of North Carolina, Raleigh, was a leading political and crime reporter with the Daily Observer and the Point Newspapers respectively. He can be reached on the following email addresses: [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask] 









		
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