'NRP Too Is Out Of Opposition Coalition' by Ebrima Colley Reports have it that the National Reconciliation Party (NRP) has also opted out of the opposition coalition against the ruling APRC for the forthcoming elections. This was disclosed to the Daily Observer by the party's deputy leader and National Assembly Member for Kiang Central, Honourable Musa Njadoe on Tuesday morning at the party's bureau in Banjul. According to Honourable Njadoe, NRP had never been informed that an inter-party meeting would be held at the YMCA building on Monday, August 13 by the opposition parties. He said he met Mr Omar A Jallow (OJ) the week before in Banjul who informed him that such a meeting was to be held at the Independence Stadium but because of the absence of the NRP leader, Hamat Bah, it would be postponed till further notice. "I am just hearing that they have had the meeting finally. I do not know what topic they raised at the meeting," Mr Njadoe added that the NRP had not been informed of such a meeting. " The NRP is not ready for a coalition right now. The reason is that this coalition cannot remove APRC from power because any leader heading the coalition would have a section from the opposition voters who would not be ready to vote for him," Mr Njadoe asserted. He however said the NRP had not objected to Lawyer Ousainou Darboe's presidential candidature for the coalition. The NRP, Mr Njadoe further stated, would be ready for a coalition that would come after the first round of presidential polls if no candidate succeeded in securing an absolute majority. He quoted section 45 (3) of the constitution that stated that, "no person shall be elected as a president on a first ballot unless the votes cast in his/her favour at an election are more than 50 per cent of the total number of votes validly cast in that election." He said the NRP would not mind whoever led a possible coalition in the event of a second round. Mr Njadoe argued that the opposition should have waited for the first round of the presidential election to end and then form a coalition, "so that it would be easier to convince Gambians to vote for the coalition party in the second round." Meanwhile, the leader of NRP, Mr Hamat Bah, according to Mr Njadoe, had travelled overseas and was expected home yesterday. by Ebrima Colley Reports have it that the National Reconciliation Party (NRP) has also opted out of the opposition coalition against the ruling APRC for the forthcoming elections. This was disclosed to the Daily Observer by the party's deputy leader and National Assembly Member for Kiang Central, Honourable Musa Njadoe on Tuesday morning at the party's bureau in Banjul. According to Honourable Njadoe, NRP had never been informed that an inter-party meeting would be held at the YMCA building on Monday, August 13 by the opposition parties. He said he met Mr Omar A Jallow (OJ) the week before in Banjul who informed him that such a meeting was to be held at the Independence Stadium but because of the absence of the NRP leader, Hamat Bah, it would be postponed till further notice. "I am just hearing that they have had the meeting finally. I do not know what topic they raised at the meeting," Mr Njadoe added that the NRP had not been informed of such a meeting. " The NRP is not ready for a coalition right now. The reason is that this coalition cannot remove APRC from power because any leader heading the coalition would have a section from the opposition voters who would not be ready to vote for him," Mr Njadoe asserted. He however said the NRP had not objected to Lawyer Ousainou Darboe's presidential candidature for the coalition. The NRP, Mr Njadoe further stated, would be ready for a coalition that would come after the first round of presidential polls if no candidate succeeded in securing an absolute majority. He quoted section 45 (3) of the constitution that stated that, "no person shall be elected as a president on a first ballot unless the votes cast in his/her favour at an election are more than 50 per cent of the total number of votes validly cast in that election." He said the NRP would not mind whoever led a possible coalition in the event of a second round. Mr Njadoe argued that the opposition should have waited for the first round of the presidential election to end and then form a coalition, "so that it would be easier to convince Gambians to vote for the coalition party in the second round." Meanwhile, the leader of NRP, Mr Hamat Bah, according to Mr Njadoe, had travelled overseas and was expected home yesterday. _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html You may also send subscription requests to [log in to unmask] if you have problems accessing the web interface and remember to write your full name and e-mail address. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------