At moments in the life of a vibrant and dynamic political party, there is bound to be such anxiety from fundamental discernment. It demonstrates that the state of the NRP is Good.
Hon. Hamat agonies over the desire of Resident NRPhites Not to join the prospective UDP-led opposition alliance on the one hand, and the desire of diaspora NRPhites TO JOIN the alliance. He has shared with us that among the two NRPhites, he views the Resident NRPhites to be more significant and valuable because they are the ones who actually vote for NRP. And this is true as far as the electoral fortunes of NRP are concerned. However, I urge Hon Hamat not to dismiss the value of Diaspora NRPhites because they, to some extent, ENABLE their Resident family members, relatives, and friends to accrue such comprehensive electoral fortunes. At the very least, the Diaspora NRPhites contribute to the day-to-day operations and campaign programs of NRP (I hope). Even if it is not the case that Diaspora NRPhites contribute financially directly to NRP operations, you can be sure that they help to sustain the Resident NRPhites who in turn vote massively for NRP.
Because of the critical need to complete Alliance formation at this time, (time is of the essence), I encourage Hon. Hamat to urge the Resident and Diaspora NRPhites to choose from among their good number (perhaps 3 or 5 each), and begin sharing ideas on how to merge the two desires - To join or Not to join. I have enormous confidence that the two positions, as regards NRP, are bridgeable in the affirmative. NRP must however understand clearly why their Resident counterparts Do Not Desire for NRP to join a UDP-led Opposition Alliance for the purposes of presenting a unitary presidential candidate in the november polls. It will be unconscionable to dismiss their ideas off-hand without understanding their rationale.
Each
opposition party, and indeed each of the prospective partners to any
alliance, do have their own management and structural challenges. When
these parties come to the discussion table to fashion the prospective
alliance, it is understood that each partner party will dispense with
its own housekeeping in order to prepare it to become a valuable partner
to the alliance. It will be unconscionable for any party to hold its
prospective partners in an alliance to ransom for its own housekeeping
affairs.
I hasten to add that this particular internal conflict that agonies Hon.
Hamat of NRP, is also the same exact conflict that the UDP, PDOIS, PPP,
and GMC contend with. However, the other parties are not declaring that
this internal conflict is materially significant to prevent them from
binding their parties in contract with partner parties in an alliance.
This is because the greater majority of Gambians, including most
NRPhites (those who Hon. Hamat has communicated the EXTRAORDINARY VALUE
OF A UNITARY ALLIANCE WITH), PREFER a unitary alliance candidate to
their own individual party candidate to contest the nov. 2011 elections.
I encourage Hon. Hamat to share this value of a Unitary Alliance
Candidate with the most NRPhites in order to persuade them to allow him
bind NRP into Alliance contract on their behalf.
Haruna.