Opposition Leaders Collapse into Tears as Halifa Declares He’ll Not Vie for Presidency
When some Gambian opposition parties met at Atlantic Hotel on Saturday to sign a memorandum of understanding for a united front ahead of the Nov.24 presidential polls, the last thing the participants expected to see was shedding of tears. Not at least from veteran politician Sedia Jatta, the National Assembly member for Wuli West and Hamat Bah, leader of opposition National Reconciliation Party (NRP).
But both Sedia Jatta and Hamat Bah did collapse into tears as Halifa Sallah, secretary general of PDOIS declared to the well-attended meeting that he will not vie for the presidency come Nov.24.
If Halifa had taken anyone off the guard, it was Hamah Bah and Sedia Jatta. Hamat, who managed to blot out few words between his sobs, could be heard saying that he spoke to Halifa three days before the day, but the 2006 presidential candidate never mentioned to him that he will not contest for presidency.
Mr Halifa Sallah, an outspoken social scientist cum politician led the disintegrated National Alliance for Democracy and Development (NADD) in the 2006 presidential race after main opposition-UDP and NRP quit the alliance over the selection of a standard bearer. The presidential race wasn’t a successful one for neither him nor the UDP-NRP alliance. Both lost to president Jammeh, heavily.
Ahead of this year’s presidential polls, when UDP initiated talks among opposition parties for a united front with a proposal for a UDP led alliance, Mr Sallah however made an alternative proposal – a convention, which was eventually embraced by all, save UDP and PPP. Now that Halifa Sallah, who is apparently, the architect of the convention, declares that he will not stand, the parties in alliance – PDOIS, NADD, NRP and GPDP are expected to meet on Wednesday to select a flag bearer.
Author: Saikou Jammeh