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Momodou
Denmark
11829 Posts |
 Posted - 25 May 2006 : 15:41:57
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Interview With Halifa
Foroyaa: The subject of Discussion everywhere is the importance of unity among the opposition. What do you have to say to this?
Halifa: One thing that leaders cannot do is to teach the people how to win an election. On this score it is the people who are better teachers. The call for unity is nothing new. When we went to the US for the July 4th Symposium in Atlanta in 2003, some Gambians questioned the representatives of the opposition parties whether any of their parties could contest and win a Presidential election in the face of a divided opposition. The answer was in the negative. In the same vein, a delegation comprising supporters of all the political parties came from the URD during our negotiations to indicate that they would not entertain the meeting of any individual party in the URD while the negotiation was on. They urged us to complete our negotiation and go to address them as a united front. The people saw strength in unity from the very beginning. They were overwhelmed with joy when we signed a Memorandum of Understanding. They turned up in their tens of thousands after NADD was registered to attend the first public meeting of the Alliance. They supported us fully during the by election. The representatives of political parties behaved, extremely well. All of us told the people that when the time comes we will select one person to put before them. The supporters of all the political parties accepted this in the open. The ground was very fertile for a united front. The people had preferences as to who should be flag bearer but would have settled for a candidate in or outside of the Executive Committee.
Foroyaa: What went wrong?
Halifa: That is obvious. A split occurred before we selected a candidate for the presidency. This created a split among the supporters.
Foroyaa: What was the cause of the split?
Halifa: You have to interview Mr. Darboe and Mr. Bah whose parties decided that it was in their best interest to leave: As Coordinator I worked very hard to ensure that we operated on the principle of unanimity. This meant that an individual party had veto powers. Hence no body could become a Presidential candidate without the approval of each of the Executive Members. In short, if Mr. Darboe and Mr. Bah remained members of NADD they could veto any selection of Halifa Sallah as flag bearer. No body’s selection could be imposed on any leader.
Foroyaa: Many people are saying that Mr. Darboe and Mr. Bah left because the person with majority support was not selected?
Halifa: They left before any selection was done.
Foroyaa: some are saying that they could have left because they anticipated that a person other than Mr. Darboe would be selected?
Halifa: I have made it categorically clear that the way the MOU was framed nobody could be selected without the consent of Mr. Bah and Mr. Darboe in particular or any of the Executive Members in General. Each had veto power to stop the selection of any candidate. In that event we should go for primaries and only the people could put an end to the impasse.
This is precisely why I rejected my nomination in the first effort and then declared that I was not interest in accepting the position of flag bearer unless it was accorded to me unanimously.
Foroyaa: What then is the reason for the split?
Halifa: This is why I say that you should interview Mr. Darboe and Mr. Bah to get their opinion on the issue.
Foroyaa: What is the way forward?
Halifa: First and foremost, the split led to the formation of an alliance, which tried to retain the original membership UDP/NRP. This has resulted in persons loyal to each alliance trying to use every explanation to justify its position. If there is to be unity, those who are to negotiate should know the position of each alliance. The similarities on the basis of which we can unite and the differences which need to be addressed to minimize the obstacle to unity. In my view, the first task to be accomplished is to get each side to abandon derogatory remarks against the leaders.
Foroyaa: Do you sincerely believe that there is a basis for unity?
Halifa: Those who are to do the negotiation should take note of the following development before we formed NADD. First and foremost, we recognised that each party had its legitimate right to put up its own candidate to seek political office. We acknowledged that if each did so there would be a split which could make it easier for the incumbent to win. We saw the importance of unity and questioned how we could get the supporters to each party to support one candidate and how we could win the confidence of the none party voters and the APRC supporters to come to our side. We recognized that we must get a candidate whom the leaders of each party could convince their supporters to endorse. Secondly, the candidate should be someone whom the party voters and the voters who currently support the APRC would be happy to endorse. We agreed that we will select such a person through consensus or through a primary. This is the first consideration.
Secondly, we decided to offer those who would relinquish their right to stand as a Presidential candidate concession. The first concession was to make the mandate of the Presidential candidate put up by the alliance transitional and short lived. In short, the person will not wield executive powers as he or she wishes. In that the Vice President and the members of cabinet will be determined by the executive committee of the Alliance on a proportional basis. Furthermore, the programme of the Government shall be that negotiated and accepted by members of the Alliance. In short, the other leaders accepted to surrender their rights to an executive that will also surrender its right in favour of collective leadership. Finally, the person selected would also remain neutral to enable the leaders who surrendered their rights to seek the mandate of the people for five years to do so in the next following elections on an equal footing, by not participating in such elections as a candidate or a supporter of any candidate. This is the political chemistry of the Alliance called NADD.
It is necessary for the negotiations to indicate what the political chemistry of the UDP/NRP Alliance is? What are they offering to help bring about unity?
Foroyaa: Some say that you should meet half way. What is your opinion?
Halifa: People should make concrete proposals. What is half way? You know we all compromised 180 degrees to curtail the operation of our original parties in favour of NADD. We even lost our seats in the name of our original parties. We have also regained our seats as NADD. We would lose these seats if we were to dissolve NADD to form a new alliance. Hence the dissolution of NADD to form a new alliance is inconceivable. The option left is to form a loose alliance with other parties. If that is to be, what will be the basis of the agreement; on what ticket will the Presidential candidate run if a compromise were to be reached on a joint candidate? How will the terms of the agreement be enforced? Those who are suggesting a new alliance should work out these details as quickly as possible and forward it to the NADD Executive and that of the UDP/NRP alliance.
Foroyaa: Would you be willing to step aside?
Halifa: I am a compromised candidate. My asset is my determination to serve. I accepted to serve NADD because I honestly thought that no party or individual in NADD had an axe to grind with me and that each of the leaders will not find it difficult to convince their membership that I will be a willing tool of the Executive in translating its objective of putting an end to self-perpetuating rule and empowering the people. However, I have come to see that my perception was not quite accurate as I served as coordinator. I am simply waiting for Gambians to tell me what role I Should play to serve them better. The options are many to me. Infact, as I address these questions I have received a call from the Pan African Parliament indicating that I should leave today as part of a mission to (had to deal with the crisis in that country. I have no special interest occupying any post in the Gambia. If it is recognition and respect I have enough of them; if it is money I would have accepted President Jammeh’s offer of Ministerial post 12 years ago. I am not competing with anybody for the presidency. Any day I am asked to call it a day, I will be glad to do so. I will dispatch my report on Darfur and my vision of the Pan African Parliament just to give an idea of what I am doing for African without hoping to be a President.
Foroyaa: What is your advise to NADD Militants.
Halifa: Leaders come and go but the people own the country. There duty is to enlighten, mobilize and organise the people for their political, economic, social and cultural emancipation. Let them continue with their cultural revolution to empower the people through songs, theatre, community meetings and so on so that they take ownership of their minds. This is the way they can decide who to put in position of leadership so that they can take charge of their collective destiny and ensure that it is a destiny fit to be claimed as their own, a destiny, of liberty, dignity and prosperity.
Source: Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No. 40/2006, 25-28 May,2006
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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