Karamba, Like Dr Saine,my feed back from home during the campaign is that most people were not comfortable with the UDP/PPP alliance.The UDP was perceived to be a front for the PPP in their attempt to make a political come back, as alluded to by many on this list.As DR Saine said,the UDP failed to make a clear distinction with the PPP despite the alliance entered into ,which i regarded as a tactical move but apparently ,many did not see it in that perception and therefore,it cost the UDP many votes. Beran >From: [log in to unmask] >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list ><[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: The October 2001 Presidential Election in The Gambia >Date: Wed, 5 Dec 2001 18:37:49 EST > >Dr Saine, > thanks once again for writing an interesting analysis of >the >past Presidential elections. I am in agreement with you in the overall >thrust >of your analysis regarding the process, the issues, the personalities and >all >but one of your conclusions. I don't think your apparent conclusion that >the >PPP adversely affected the prospects of the coalition atleast in the minds >of >the voters is supported by any conclusive evidence. On the contrary, in >U.R.D >where the coalition won all but one of the districts, the efforts of former >PPP politicians like Omar Sey were crucial in making the Opposition win >even >more decisively. It is certainly true that the PPP politicians have lost >some >of their clout with the electorate especially in the greater Banjul area >where time and changing demographics pose a challenge for even O.J who once >controlled a formidable machinery in his district. If you look at Nuimi and >Saloum in which two former PPP politicians namely Landing Jallow Sonko and >Amulaye Janneh used to win confortably , neither man could deliver in this >last election. That points to the fickle nature of an electorate >perpetually >inclined to support whoever is in power rather than a sudden >dissatisfaction >with politicians they supported for years . > The elections were determined primarily by fear successfully >peddled >by the government coupled with electoral fraud and cash inducements. It >worked and we have an illegitimate government to show for it. >Karamba > ><<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>> > >To view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface >at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html >To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: >[log in to unmask] > ><<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>> _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp <<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>> To view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask] <<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>