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Momodou
Denmark
11735 Posts |
 Posted - 06 Jan 2007 : 17:23:17
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NADD AIMS FOR AN EFFECTIVE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
By Bubacarr K. Sowe
Halifa Sallah, National Assembly Member for Serrekunda Central has said that the National Alliance for Democracy and Development (NADD) will create “an effective and efficient National Assembly,” if NADD contestants win the forthcoming polls.
Mr. Sallah made this remark in an interview with Foroyaa over the weekend. He said that the parliament needs to be an oversight institution that can scrutinize and criticise programmes and policies which are not in the interest of the country.
“In our view, you need the opposition in the National Assembly to avoid it being a one party state. That is why Gambians need to be critical in their selection of candidates. And, of course, the opposition must be very critical on the type of candidates they are going to select,” Sallah said.
The Minority Leader also said that the electorate should vote for a candidate who they believe can deliver. He added that people should move away from the partisan conception in election, noting that the parliamentarian should not ratify agreements, approve loans and enact laws based on their whims. These, he said, requires persons of high caliber and reason.
Sallah added that if the National Assembly remains in the hands of the APRC as the dominant power, it will lead to the country becoming a one party state.
He said if they strategically win 27 seats, either independent or opposition, that would neutralise the APRC and power will be in the hands of those 27 members who he opined will not bow down to the wishes of the executive. To ensure the number of seats of the opposition and Independent candidates Sallah called for a tactical alliance where the credible candidates are supported irrespective of whether they belong to an opposition party or are simply independent candidates. He explained that when NADD declared that there should be a tactical alliance so that the opposition would agree on one candidate for each constituency, he expected the UDP alliance to make the same declaration; that when the UDP leader indicated that they would put up candidates in all constituencies, it became futile to contact them. He said that NADD decided to implement its tactical alliance unilaterally. He explained that NADD will not put up candidates in Jarra West where Kemeseng is likely to stand or Upper Saloum where Hamat Bah is likely to stand and Bakau where Dembo Bojang may contest. Sallah indicated that he has spoken to the GPDP leader Mr. Henry Gomez who supports the principle of having a tactical alliance. He commended Mr. Gomez for the support.
Source: Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issues
Issue No. 002/2007, 5-7 December, 2007
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