Folks,
Who says coalitions do not work? The examples from our Senegalese cousins indicate that the PDS came to power only after the creation of the SOPI coalition. You may also note that even the 1% of some of the parties did indeed count. Otherwise, Wade may have given up politics by now.
If NADD survives the current challenges, but for some reason fails to capture the presidency, they would still stand a better chance at beating APRC in the legislatives. We can all guess what a NADD dominated legislative would mean for Mr. Jammeh!
An important lesson to learn from Senegal is that SOPI did not survive the in-fighting that followed Wade's victory. Since coming to power, Wade has fired over three prime ministers. In fact, he went so far as to imprison one of them: Idriss Seck who was purportedly his confidant. Some of the parties have broken away from the alliance and with the coordination of Prof. Abdoulaye Bathily they have vowed to make it tough for a Wade comeback.
In The Gambia, the Constitution has been modified to do away with a second round of voting. Even if President Jammeh obtains 51% of the vote and the rest is shared among the opposition parties, he would legally be declared winner. The breakup of NADD is therefore not to the Opposition's advantage. NADD is already aware of this, as they have repeated the same point throughout their public meetings.
We have to note that the APRC has more funds and Jammeh's apparent sanctification of power by his pro-Islam stance could attract him more votes in a country that is predominantly Muslim. I think he is aware of this, hence his sponsoring of poor Gambians to the annual pilgrimage and the donning of Muslim garb reminiscent of an Usman Dan Fodio jihadist.
The 'mansa' mentality of the Gambian electorate has also helped perpetuate both Jawara and Jammeh in power. It is a mentality that NADD will, hopefully, eradicate if they win.
Momodou.
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The president is elected for a seven year term by the people. The government is formed by the PDS, AFP, AJ, LD, PIT, RND, dissidents of URD and non-partisans.
President: 27 february and 19 march 2000 (62%) % %
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Abdou Diouf - Parti Socialiste du Sénégal 41.3 41.5 Abdoulaye Wade - Parti Démocratique Sénégalais 30.1 58.5 Moustapha Niasse - Alliance des forces de progrès 16.8 - Djibo Leyti Kâ - Union pour le renouveau démocratique 7.1 - Iba Der Thiam - Convention des Démocrates et des Patriotes 1.2 - Serigne Ousseynou Fall 1.1 - Cheikh Abdoulaye Dieye 1.0 - Mademba Sock 0.6 - Source: Le Soleil and AFP. Convention des Démocrates et des Patriotes = Convention of Democrats and Patriots.
Parliament:
The Assemblée Nationale (National Assembly) has 120 members, elected for a five year term, in multi-seat constituencies.
Assemblée Nationale: 29 april 2001 (67.4 %) % 120
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Coalition "Sopi" SOPI 49.6 89 - Parti Démocratique Sénégalais PDS - Ligue Démocratique-Mouvement pour le Parti du Travial LD - Others Alliance des forces de progrès AFP 16.1 11 Parti Socialiste du Sénégal PSS 17.4 10 Union pour le renouveau démocratique URD 3.7 3 And-Jëf-Parti Africain pour la démocratie et le socialisme AJ 4.1 2 Parti libéral sénégalais PLS 0.9 1 Parti pour le progrès et la citoyenneté PPC 0.9 1 Alliance Jëf-Jël JJ 0.8 1 Rassemblement national démocratique RND 0.7 1 Parti de l'Indépendence et du Travail PIT 0.6 1 Source: Le Soleil
www.electionworld.org/senegal.htm
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