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dbaldeh
USA
934 Posts |
 Posted - 27 Sep 2006 : 20:48:16
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The Gambian electorates have spoken loud and clear. The margins are so wide that any amount of complain of vote rigging from the opposition can tantamount to nothing but chaos. It is beyond any reasonable doubt that there is nothing the opposition can do to overturn the election results or have a re-run.
The opposition should swallow their pride, accept responsibility for their failures, learn from the bitter lessons, and look ahead to the paliamentary elections and beyond. This is a crucial step in maintaining the peace and stability in our fragile democracy.
It is explicitly clear that the elections were not perfect. There were some irregularities leading upto election day. There wasn't necessarily a level playing field. There was no separation between government and ruling party. However, are those irregularities serious enough to influence the entire results across the country? Don't the opposition know there was no level playing field before election day? The answer is in the affirmative.
What would the opposition gain by rejecting the elections? What would Gambians in general gain from the international arena due to the rejection of the elections? Rejecting the elections will only lead to further embarrassment for the opposition for their massive failure to take the threat seriously.
I further think UDP have prematurely rejected the elections just like Darboe prematurely congratulated Jammeh in the 2001 elections. The election results requires mature and careful analysis before conclusions are drawn. The opposition need to consider what the impact of rejecting the elections would have on their participation in the parliamentary elections. Would it be prudent to once again boycott the parliamentary elections as they did in 2001? UDP/NRP appears to immediately react in shock by rejecting the results outrightly simply because they are trying to make up for a leadership mistake in 2001.
NADD by virtue of their silence on the results appears to be carefully studing the impact of the results and what lessons to draw. NADD has paliamentary representatives and therefore must consider their next move towards paliamentary elections. It would not be wise for NADD to boycott the paliamentary elections as that would give the APRC their wish for a one party state. Drawing conclusions so prematurely does not sit well for an opposition that is defeated so badly at the polls. It amounts to a political suicide worst than the split that led to results.
On balance, the elections appears to be won fairly and squarely. Peace must be given chance as the status quo is certainly better than war zone nations. Patriotic citizens must once again give peace a chance, put the nation first before anything else. Failure to do so will only lead to more chaos and more isolation for our nation.
We must all divert our energy towards fighting for justice, human rights, and press freedom. We must reach out to our opponents and seek their conscience. We must seek for dialogue no matter how brutal our regime treat our citizens. At some point it becomes human nature to response positively to those seeking reconciliation and understanding. Hopefully, and with lots of prayers Jammeh and his regime will see us as not their enemies but as citizens aspiring for development and democratic prosperity for our people and mother Gambia.
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Baldeh,
"Be the change you want to see in the world" Ghandi
Visit http://www.gainako.com for your daily news and politics |
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blackerberry2004
69 Posts |
Posted - 27 Sep 2006 : 21:38:29
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I lack the enthusiasm to entertain this ridiculous claim that Darboe is alleging. He should not have waited till he lost the election to raise these objections. He is in his last days in politics and so he is desperately hanging on. He should have stood up against Jammeh when Jammeh incarcerated OJ, Halifa and Hamat. He is really trying to tamper with the fragile peace we have.
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Edited by - blackerberry2004 on 27 Sep 2006 21:39:52 |
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