OPPOSITION IS LEADING JAMMEH
In Popular Vote in 6 By Elections
Says Halifa Sallah, Coordinator of NADD
APRC 9,852, OPPOSITION 11,582
FOROYAA: As coordinator how do you see the results of the Nianija/Njau
by elections?
Halifa: The tactics of President Jammeh is muzzling his National
Assembly Members has enabled the opposition to test it weight before the 2006
presidential elections. The fact does not give President Jammeh any
basis for him to be confident that he will win the 2006 presidential
elections.
FOROYAA: What do you mean?
Halifa: Science calls for conclusions to be drawn from facts. Since
the Alliance began to be shaped there has been 6 by elections. The APRC
won three and the Opposition won three. However, a presidential
election is based on the popular votes not on seats. There is absolutely no
doubt that in all the by elections President Jammeh’s record serves as
the focal point for the APRC campaign. In this regard the popular vote
he receives reflects his political weight.
A review of the results of the results of the by election in Jarra West
Constituency, Cape Point Ward, Sare Ngai Ward, Old Jeshwang Ward,
Nianija Constituency and Njau Ward reveals the following popular votes for
APRC and the Opposition. APRC obtained 9,852 votes and the Opposition
11,582. Hence the Opposition leads by 1,630 votes. This is why
President Jammeh cannot be said to be poised to win the 2006 presidential
elections.
FOROYAA: Well, your position is an interesting one. We will contact
the APRC bureau to find out what they have to say. Now can you elaborate
on the cause of NADD victory and defeat in Njau and Nianija
respectively?
Halifa: The first point to note is that NADD has made history. I am
not sure whether anybody realises that the first person to win election
under a NADD ticket is a woman. I am sure this is a unique development
in the whole world. Channeh’s victory is unique by all standards.
First and foremost, the APRC did not rely on President Jammeh’s
popularity. They mobilised a former MP of the area during Jawara’s era, Mr.
Amulai Janneh to lead the campaign team. They also relied on the
Commissioner of CRD and the Chiefs. These women/men stayed in the area to meet
every influential personality in the ward. They even went as far as to
turn Channeh’s parents against her, just to make it difficult for her
to stand. Her clothes were seized at one time, left under guard at
another time and subjected to threats of all sorts. During the campaign
Amulai, the Secretaries of State, the Commissioner, using state vehicles,
went up and down to mobilize support.
Amulai did not stop there. On Election Day he, the Commissioner and
some Members of Parliament were going round polling stations. Channeh
had to get on their trail to chase them away. In fact one of the Polling
Agents has a case against the Commissioner which I am ready to take up
with the authorities so that Commissioners will be fully stopped from
taking sides in electoral contests. In my view Channeh’s victory is the
most humiliating defeat Jammeh has suffered since the birth of the
APRC. The fact that he had to hide behind a past MP shows that his own
popularity had gone down to a very low level.
Needless to say since the MP could not save him the president should
gather the message that the end is drawing near, the way forward is for
him to begin to adhere fully to the principles of good governance.
FOROYAA: What do you mean?
Halifa: Commissioners are public officers. Section 222, Paragraph
(13) of the constitution states categorically that a person holding public
office should not “allow his or her political inclinations to interfere
with the discharge of his or her official duties.” Should the
president leave the Commissioner to campaign for his party? Should he allow
vehicles for technical assistance to join their campaign trail? He needs
to address these anomalies voluntarily or we will wage a campaign
against him to address it.
FOROYAA: What about Nianija?
Halifa: We left the election campaign to be based on local issues. The
result does not manifest increase in popularity of the APRC. In fact
the vote has dropped compared to the 2002 elections. In my view, the
result of the Nianija by-elections further confirms that President
Jammeh’s record is not the basis for victory. The APRC had to engage in many
survival tactics to get 1,500 votes. The first point to note is that
they tried to rely on the influence of the new Chief who was in the
Opposition to split the camp of the opposition. Secondly, they selected
Dawda Bah’s first cousin to be a candidate. In short Dawda Manneh’s
mother is a sister to Dawda Bah’s mother. They are of the same mother and
father.
Despite all these efforts and the huge presence of the Commissioner,
Chiefs, Secretaries of State, National Assembly Members and resources
they could only win by a difference of 365 votes. Clearly, if the
Alliance had rallies as we had in Buduk in all the main centres and combine
NADD’s campaign issue with the local issues the result would have been
different. We took the local sentiments for granted. This was the
mistake of the Alliance. Notwithstanding the results favour the Alliance
more than APRC.
FOROYAA: How?
Halifa: The APRC had what it could have. However, the Alliance has
grounds to grow. Over 1,000 voters did not vote. There are many people
who voted for the APRC because of inducement. Hence with a more
organized campaign the Alliance should be able to put an end to voter apathy
and inspire voters to inducement.
FOROYAA: Any concluding remarks?
Halifa: The by-elections confirm that a strong and viable opposition is
emerging. This is good for the country. When a government has a weak
opposition its powers cannot be checked and restrained. The efforts
made to scrutinize, criticize and restrain the authorities from wrong
doing during the six by-elections confirm that a democratic society can
only be sustained if you have powerful poles of authority that cannot
manipulate each other.
In my view, the Alliance out of 6 by-elections the Alliance is ahead in
popular vote. We should build up the momentum. We must not allow the
APRC to mystify itself and give the impression that it has the support
of the people. We should stop misreading the facts and blame the
people. In six by elections the people gave the Alliance 11,582 votes and gave the APRC 9,852 votes. Everyone should know that the Alliance is
ahead.
The president is finding it difficult to maintain an electoral base.
That is why he is relying on culture, sports and any other means to draw
crowds on a non partisan basis just to enable his propagandists to
refer to the crowd as a sign of popular support. Sympathisers of the
Alliance should tell the people that the results of the by-elections are the genuine indicators of the popular support of the Alliance and the APRC.
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