I share your desire Edrissa for Mr. Darboe to clear the air on this matter. I do understand and appreciate the fact that Hon. Darboe did not promise nor offer Hon. Hamat a leadership position in a united UDP/NRP party but that is not readily apparent in the manner reported by Ndokeh at Freedom. From what I heard Hon. Darboe say on the radio, he was recounting a conversation he had with Hon. Hamat in the presence of Hon. Yaya Jallow. The conversation was around the unity of the two parties. For Hon. Hamat to see value in that, he has to see a path for the benefit of NRP. Hon. Darboe shared with Hon. Hamat that given his own age and the age of leading UDP officials, it is conceivable that Hon. Hamat could lead a union of their two parties.

Of course whether Hon. Hamat becomes the leader of the united party or not will have to be ventilated by a NEW CONSTITUTION of the UNITED Party. By then, the UDP and NRP party constitutions would have been synthesized to produce the new constitution under which Hon. Hamat would serve as leader.

Aside from leadership, I see greater socio-political values in the idea of the NRP and the UDP uniting into one. Among all the parties in Gambia, the NRP, (perhaps unintended) looks the most ethnic. This is not to say that the NRP is peopled by only one ethnic group. It is to say that a casual review of all the parties in Gambia, including APRC, the NRP is the least diverse in its ethnic composition. The majority ethnicity in the NRP also happens to command significant profile in the UDP. It is therefore only natural that if any two parties were to unite, it would be the UDP and the NRP. What this would do is to serve as primer or the conducive substrate for further crystallization of greater coalition. This is because the PDOIS and GMC will find a more natural home in a UDP/NRP than in either of the two parties separately. Morale would have been tremendously boosted among historically friendly communities in Rural Gambia to lead to the imminent departure of Yahya from the leadership of Gambia. The effect would also be that Yahya can be removed from leadership of Gambia without the APRC dissolving.

So Edrissa, from my diminutive knowledge of negotiations, you have to show the party you're wooing, the path to their benefit. If Hon. Hamat's personal glorification is that path (to be determined by the new arrangement), then Hon. Hamat is the proper authority of the NRP to have that conversation with. The mere presence of Hon. Jallow at the meeting demonstrates that Hon. Darboe was not mortgaging the democracy of the UDP. Hon. Hamat understood that and so he did not ascend to the ideas of Hon. Darboe for union at that time. I still believe that the UDP and the NRP are naturally one party and that Hon. Hamat should be encouraged to prorate personal ambition for now for the greater good of the union. It could very well be that by mere default of his youth and energy, he could end up being the natural leader of the total union, including PDOIS and GMC.

Haruna.

-----Original Message-----
From: Edrissa S. Sanyang <[log in to unmask]>
To: GAMBIA-L <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Mon, May 20, 2013 4:06 pm
Subject: [G_L] CLEAR THE AIR.

             Disclaimer: I an neither parsing Mr. Darboe words or
suggesting Freedom Newspaper online is wrong; hence the need to clear
the air.

  The leader; Mr. Darboe of the United Democratic Party of The Gambia of
which I am a founder member and a card carrying member (formerly
Assistant Administrative Secretary) needs to clear the air from what is
reported on Freedom newspaper Online by Editor and Publisher Mr. Mbai.
Mr. Darboe in one of his speeches at the Raleigh Conference did make
reference to a meeting between him; Deputy party leader Yaya Jallow and
Mr. Hamat Bah of the NRP where Mr. Darboe suggested to Mr. Bah to bring
along the NRP and to join the UDP with the understanding that since he
Darboe and two other older members of the leadership (Sanneh and
Jammeh) are aging Bah could then assume leadership of the reformed
Party (UDP/NRP) the 'New UDP'. According to Mr. Mbai, 'he (Mr. Bah) can
take over the mantle from him' (Mr. Darboe). I am concern here for two
reasons:
                  1. This is the second time under one year that such
issue is being floated in the print media. The first was in the
instance of Mr. Mai Fatty of the GMC in the Standard Newspaper and the
Party leader Mr. Darboe had to clarify what he said. So the need to
clear the air once and for all times, obligates Mr. Darboe to make
reference to the Constitution of the Party in terms of succession and
that he would abide by that. Mr. Darboe is an astute Lawyer and one who
carefully chooses his words; so out of respect for other Party Members
myself included, Mr. Darboe Please Clear the Air. As a party member
yourself I am not suggesting to take away your right to endorsed
whosesoever you prefer under transparent and fair process. We the
members of the UDP need to be clear that the process will be seen to be
just that; since that augurs well for the standing of the Party- the
IDEALS of Democracy, my second point.

                   The United Democratic Party need to be seen to be
DIFFERENT from ALL Parties that existed before and after its founding
in The Gambia because of the Nature, Circumstance and Experience of its
founding. YES INDEED; THOSE WERE VERY DIFFICULT AND TRYING TIMES, BUT
WE PREVAILED AND PERSEVERED SO THE UNITED DEMOCRATIC PARTY IS EXISTING
TODAY, WE CANNOT FORGET THAT. The convictions and sacrifice of
Countless Pioneers and Soldiers of the
Cause made the party (some of those belong  to the ages) but the ones
with us must and should have a say to the
positions of leadership of the party.

                    2. By virtue of the Position of the UDP in the
political process of The Gambia it should Lead by example
with what is termed in the Culture of Democracy- Internal Democracy.
The showcasing of  democratic culture within the
party organization before GOVERNANCE, call it a nursery bed of the
practices and processes before governance. For too
often we have seen in African politics and The Gambia is no exception
where the politics of patronage takes precedence over
Internal Democracy and since Senegal is a reference point Pope Sopi
(WADE) comes to mind. In the Way Forward for The Gambia
these processes have to be inbuilt within party structures to prevent
jammeh type scenario upon assumption of power by any party or
individual. Now is the time to address these issues for once power is
assumed the often reference cliche ' power corrupts, absolute
power.....absolutely'. Let me be clear here and crystal clear; I know
Mr. Darboe probably more than most having worked with him on close
quarters
at very trying times and he would vouch for my respect for him. I also
know him to be democratic in his dealings.
Notwithstanding the Matters of Politics and Country requires Candor as
Mr. Darboe himself alluded to in Raleigh.
He also knows me for speaking my mind and my upbringing dictates my
respect for all.

Farang.

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