The earlier Press release mentioned about PDOIS and also NADD. I am puzzling is still a political association or the making and unmaking of the debate. Deeply sad with the continnum of the bullshit from one man seen as the intellectual giant since 1994. Date: Sat, 22 Oct 2011 21:40:18 +0100 From: [log in to unmask] Subject: [G_L] Maafanta: UDP Press Conference on Coalition Talks- 17th October 2011 To: [log in to unmask] UDP Press Conference on Coalition Talks-17th October 2011 The United Democratic Party (UDP) on Monday 17th October 2011 held a press conference at the Party’s Political bureau in Banjul, the capital city of the Gambia. The Secretary General and party leader, Lawyer Ousainou Darboe indicated that the issue of a United Front is not strange to Gambians. He said in early 2000, Gambians in the Diaspora have championed the course for a united front for the Opposition. He told the press in the midst of party supporters and sympathizers that the laudable initiative on the part of the UDP has led to the holding of a Conference which ultimately gave birth to NADD. Mr. Darboe stated that NADD didn’t work and as the November election is fast approaching, there have been a lot of talk in the media among individuals that it is time that the opposition parties get together and try to form a united front. He said people have advanced decision on the issue of a united front, but no initiative was taken formally to convene a meeting for talks on the issue. He said the Executive of the United Democratic Party gave him directive to invite opposition parties to get together and discuss the issue of a united front. He said a letter was issued to all the opposition parties and signed by the Administrative Secretary of the party on the 11th of August 2011 at a time when he was not in town, but that when he came back, he made a follow up by issuing a letter dated 23rd August 2011 to all the opposition parties inviting them to come together to form a united front and also to discuss the modality of selecting a flag bearer. Darboe asserted that the meeting started on the 3rd of September 2011: adding that he had hoped that they could have done it so that by Koriteh time, they would have concluded. He said that they did not agree on a common candidate and that they have agreed that consultation can still continue and that they must continue to respect each other; that they must continue to be very circumspect with statements that they made; statements that will have effect in creating difficulty for some parties in getting together. Concession But it is quite obvious, he said, that their position was one of a party led and they have argued and will continue to argue that the accepted norm throughout the world is that when parties are coming together to form an alliance, it is the party with the majority that takes up the leadership and lead the other parties in the alliance and contest the election. Mr. Darboe noted that the UDP has accommodated in their proposal, the 5yr transition and all the attendant conditions that PDOIS articulated in their Agenda 2011. Notwithstanding this, those calling for a convention to select a flagbearer were still not inclined to accommodate any element of UDP’s proposal, he added. He also indicated that he respects other views but that they did not see anything wrong with their view. Addressing Concerns Darboe asserted that some have said that a party led alliance can or would lead to the withering away of the constituent parties and they have responded to say that what they have agreed upon is that when they (UDP) win election, the media will be opened to every party and that even when an alliance Government is in office, all the other parties will have access to the media to sell their programmes and convince the people on the viability of their policies. He said it is not as if one is leaving everything until at the end of the five years and then one opens the media. “So where is the withering away of the constituent parties?”, he asked. And again he said during National Assembly Elections, parties will field candidates in constituencies where they have more supporters than others and in this way, he said, even during the transition, parties will make their presence felt. Darboe asserted that probably those calling for a convention will arrange a convention among themselves- those allegedly agreeing to a convention and he said he is using the word allegedly very adversely notwithstanding the signing of the press release by all parties because he is not sure if NRP is supporting a convention- so that the consultation will be between the convention candidate and the UDP. Darboe asserted that it is not time for the opposition to engage in a debate because the Gambia has a problem that is solvable by what they have put forward and that they do not say that it is the only solution, but it is a solution that is reasonable and universally accepted. In conclusion, Darboe said he is appealing to PDOIS, GPDP and NRP to reconsider their position and that come 24th November, Jammeh will be out because the very people who are saying 99 percent are the ones who will not vote for him. In fact, you will see a group of APRC women cross-carpeting to the UDP soon, he concluded. Source: United Democratic Party Please visit; www.udpgambia.com Join the Vote Lawyer Darboe 2011 Campaign on facebook;http://www.facebook.com/#! /groups/163686343716685/ http://www.maafanta.com/UDPPressConferenceOnCoalitionTalks.html ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://listserv.icors.org/archives/gambia-l.html To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.EXE?S1=gambia-l To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask] ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://listserv.icors.org/archives/gambia-l.html To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.EXE?S1=gambia-l To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask] ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤