Brother Hamjatta, thanks once again for putting the points across so convincingly. I am glad you pointed out the inherent problems posed by this legal challenge to Johnson's firing. If you recalled, on December 15, 2000 after the firings were announced, we counseled the Opposition to 'take this fight to the streets' and fight for the principle that our rights as citizens were being eroded by the diabolical duo of Yaya and Pap Cheyassin Secka. In subsequent mail after I heard murmuring about a legal action on behalf of Johnson and after I heard some prominent members of the Opposition praising Johnson, we cautioned them again to let Johnson loose. Johnson was not and is not on our side. As you would say, the Opposition decided again to opt for a low risk strategy and went to court. Court cases are not handled in The Gambia, expediently. Litigation is slow everywhere, much more so in The Gambia where when AG Chambers is supposed to report to court, their lawyers contemptuously decide not to show up. Had the Opposition listened to our so-called radical ideas, and demonstrated their opposition to the unlawful firing 'in the streets of Banjul, something would have given by now. Either Yaya will follow the Constitution or the masses will drive him out of office. As you rightly pointed out, the courts cannot and will not force Yaya to do a thing. Did we not see the contempt with which Yaya treated two reports (commission's and coroner's) that originated from the Chief Justice pertaining to the massacre of our children? This man have no respect for the laws of our country. What Yaya understands is survival. Since we cannot bank on Joseph Joof or Sankung Badgie to enforce court rulings on Yaya, we should take the law into our own hands and enforce such on Yaya. But I think there is a way out of this quagmire. We have more than a month until the by-elections in Baddibu and Kiang. The Opposition have enough time to regularize the illegality that is the current constitution of the IEC. As far as I am concern, both Johnson and Roberts are APRC cronies. The Opposition is not better off with any of these characters at the helm of the IEC. What the Opposition should be concerned about, is the resolutions these people will be passing at the IEC from now till election time. The ideal scenario as far as I am concerned, is for the Opposition to mobilize and go to Banjul and force Yaya to regularize the situation by reinstating Johnson. Judging from past experience, I am almost certain that that would not happen. The next best thing is for the Opposition to point out to Joseph Joof the glaring illegality in Johnson's firing. The hope here is for Joof to have the guts to relay to Yaya that the way Johnson was fired, was illegal. Johnson would be reinstated and then asked to resign. Yaya will then be free to appoint his other crony. As I said, I do not care whether we have Johnson or Roberts. All I am concerned about here, is to safeguard the legitimacy of the election victories we are going to get in Baddibu and Kiang. In any case, the Opposition have to make sure that the matter is regularized before the by-elections. If Roberts' appointment is not regularized, that will taint any election victory. The Opposition would also be estopped from raising this irregularity in future court proceedings or in the court of public opinion. I am encouraged by the fact that the Opposition is also focusing on Roberts' actions and not getting too preoccupied by the personality at the helm of the IEC. Shenanigans proposed by Roberts, viz transportation of ballot boxes for counting purposes should be vigorously challenged. Scrutinize every move Roberts makes and ensure that he does not steal the elections for Yaya. If the man is adamant about stealing the elections, let him pay with his life. This is war. Roberts or anyone that heads the IEC should not be allowed to abuse the Gambians by stealing their God given right of choosing their leader. Hamjatta, thanks again for your contributions and for pointing out that the Opposition not only have to win the by-elections, but they have to have a clean and convincing victory. The mess at the IEC has to be cleaned up before the by-elections. Cleaning up the mess might involve 'radical' moves. The Opposition should make those moves. If they do not want to make the more 'radical' moves, I counsel them to give Joof our proposal to legalize Johnson's departure by asking him to resign, and Roberts' arrival by rescinding his current commission and then reappointing him. I will send Joof my bill later. 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