A perusal of Gambian newspapers today reinforces my belief that the current Opposition should co-opt former politicians (PPP, NCP, GPP) to campaign against Yaya come October 2001. There is an interesting article on the Point Newspaper featuring OJ (Jallow). Other stories on the Observer also bear some relevance to this topic. For instance, there are reports that Nyamasata Sanneh was part of an entourage that 'donated' Yaya 36 UDP supporters on Yaya's birthday. Ridiculous story, but it has wider implications. APRC are using all the means at their disposal (including ex-PPP stalwarts, GRTS, Central Bank, Social Security, Gamtel, Ports, Chiefs throughout the country etc.) to steal the October elections. It is incumbent upon the Opposition to also utilize all the weapons in its arsenal to ensure that APRC does not steal the election. I was encouraged by reports that stated that Waa Juwara attacked GRTS for the Lies and biased 'news' that dubious outfit reports. It is important that we strike the iron while it is hot. The APRC propaganda must be met head on. Let us get into the gutter with them. Let us be prepared to meet fire with fire. Let us inform Gabriel Roberts and other APRC cronies that when they steal the elections, it is their lives they are putting on the line. Let us want this victory more than the vermin. As I said before, I think the Opposition will be making a serious mistake if it distances itself from the former establishment (mainly PPP). I know that there are people in the Opposition that firmly believe that PPP, NCP and GPP people should not be invited into the Coalition. Those people might have genuine reasons for holding that view. Some have been victims of the former establishment and have genuine grievances against the former politicians. I understand that. I myself was a victim of the former regime. But should I duel on MY plight and forget about the plight of the Gambian PEOPLE? It is high time some of us get over some of the wrongs of the PPP regime and focus of the current evil we have in our society. This is no longer about the job Mr. Fatty lost during the PPP regime. This is about the slaughter of innocent and defenseless children in broad daylight. This is about the farmer in Kiang that will wait for two months to see a fifty dalasi note. This is about a diabolical moron holding our country hostage. Besides, no one is suggesting here that people forget (altogether) the ills of the former regime. What we are trying to say is that we should be able to get over some of the issues we had with the former establishment, in the interest of the common good. Some people are capable of changing. If they engage in some evil, realize their errors, turn around and repent, we should have the capacity to forgive them and accommodate them somewhat. We should definitely accommodate them if they do all the above (sin and repent) and then express a desire to help the Opposition defeat Yaya. We should encourage the former politicians to defy Decree 89 and support the Opposition. For instance, what is stopping a United Opposition from appointing OJ their 'Chief Mobilizer' in Serrekunda? The Opposition should be courageous enough not to run away from the PPP record. OJ should be selfless enough to campaign for an Opposition candidate other than himself. The Opposition by distancing itself from the PPP just reminded me about the ill-advised decision of Al Gore, Jr. to distance himself from Bill Clinton during last year's presidential campaign. Gore's aloofness towards Clinton and the Clinton Record might have cost him the election. Let us not buy the APRC propaganda and paint all ex-politicians as corrupt and inept people. We have a lot to gain from these politicians. APRC is taking full advantage of some of the shameless ex-politicians. The politicians from the old establishment are closer to the Opposition than they are to APRC. All the honest ones will express the same sentiments OJ stated in the Point Newspaper. Even Buba Baldeh knows that the AFPRC/APRC government is far more corrupt than PPP. Whether Baldeh and others will say so, is another matter. I believe it is the duty of the current Opposition to reach out to these ex-politicians and identify with them on the issues they share in common. It is the duty of these former politicians to agree to help the current Opposition without asking for a quid pro quo. The former politicians must recognize their sins. That is the only way they can repent effectively. Recognizing these sins means taking a back seat in certain instances. These politicians should take a cue from Buba Baldeh and Nafa Saho and realize that it is imprudent for them to demand to stand in upcoming elections before they can support the Opposition. Unlike Baldeh and Nafa Saho (who would support APRC because of a Pajero or a job) people like Sherrif Dibba and OJ should come out and vigorously campaign for the Opposition without asking for a quid pro quo (except perhaps for the repealing Decree 89 after the elections). It is the duty of ex-PPP politicians to help us get rid of Yaya. Only misguided vermin like Buba Baldeh would go support criminals that stole power from them. PPP, NCP and GPP stalwarts both inside and outside The Gambia should put hands on deck and support the effort to remove Yaya. On a different topic, I also wish to point out something else I saw on Gambian newspapers. Yesterday I pleaded with Gambians to make the whole country as inhospitable as Washington, DC was made for Joseph Joof over the weekend and New York was made for Yaya last year. Little did I knew that certain Gambians were definitely making certain forums in the country very inhospitable for the vermin. It is not in every forum that the APRC cronies go to peddle their garbage. I was glad to read that one APRC crony also RAN AWAY from a conference organized by some of the Human Rights Activists in the country that wanted to discuss the upcoming elections; among other things. The APRC coward said that he will not participate in the conference because some journalists were present and he does not like talking to journalists. So, we now realize that Joseph Joof is not in lonely company. As Sanusi pointed out, Pap Cheyassin Secka RAN AWAY from the people after disclosing that criminals will not be punished for the Massacre of our children. Joseph Joof RAN AWAY upon realizing that people were going to ask him tough questions. The mental midget also RAN AWAY from the Human Rights conference because he realized that press men were going to report his utterances. According to the papers, no amount of convincing from Emmanuel Joof and Muhammed Sillah would make the APRC mental midget muster enough courage to participate in the conference. He was assured that the press will not ask him questions. The man still RAN AWAY. Well, they can run all they want, but they can't hide. Let us continue to harass them and continue to ask them tough questions. Let us continue to force them to defend their indefensible positions. 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