Obsession  with the presidency:

It is with deep regret that it will have to come to this, to speak the truth that may make it very difficult for STGDP to be part of the quest of finding a common ground for a coalition. Something that we have initiated championed and put in lots of time and effort up to this point. It is also equally important that we cannot sit idly by and allow the hard work of well meaning Gambians at STGDP to be brought to disrepute, and reduced everything we have done to sound bites.

Unfortunately, I have come to the realization that Mr. Darboe is willing to say anything, do anything to become the next president of the Gambia. It is important to highlight that Mr. Darboe’s obsession with the presidency at all cost, and his democratic credentials need to be seriously scrutinized. From his interview, this is really the one that has done it for me. Mr. Darboe is willing to point finger at everyone – the NADD partners, STGDP, MRDG, but not Mr. Darboe and Mr. Bah. For Mr. Darboe, everyone is insincere and had an agenda, but oh no not Mr. Darboe. He came into this arrangement like all the leaders and players, and the objective was clear: let us all come together as one formidable force, contest the election under a coalition and defeat president Jammeh, and in office build the necessary institution of democracy so that we will never have to resort to this again. It will be politically naïve for anyone to think that politicians would come into this arrangement without an agenda, and Mr. Darboe is not the exception. At least, with the other leaders, whatever their agenda was and is, they stocked to their commitment.

Mr. Darboe obsession is clearly demonstrated all throughout the arrangement, and I can without a shadow of a doubt that his only commitment to the NADD arrangement was the leadership to be given to him, and in the absence that did not happen, well good bye till we meet again. His initial insistent was for a party led collation, and let me absolutely clear, the issue here is not whether Mr. Darboe should be the leader of NADD or not. I personally would have given it to him, if that will give us the coalition that can give us the edge to defeat Jammeh. Personally, to me this is a risk worth taking; even though the man’s democratic credentials should be seriously questioned. All throughout Mr. Darboe has threaten or made moves to get out of the arrangement, and after series of intervention he is back into the fold. Folks, has anyone of you heard anyone among the NADD leaders threaten to leave NADD, other than Mr. Darboe. It was not a perfect system, and the difficulty was expected but all of them were willing to deal with it and find a common ground, the people that bolted is safe to say their commitment was less than desirable. Mr. Darboe had the whole arrangement with a veto power; he was in possession of the JOKER and has used it at every turn to threaten the arrangement. When it finally became evident to him, that maybe what always kept in this arrangement is at stake he walked away. Mr. Darbo, in his sown words said that STGDP should have at least supported the UDP-NRP because they have a better chance of winning. If that was the sole criteria for STGDP to endorse a political entity, we would have endorsed APRC under president Jammeh. STGDP endorsed NADD and Mr. Darboe did not question our commitment or accused us of having an agenda. He walked away from the arrangement that he was committed to, and now we are not to be trusted. Mr. Darboe in his own words talked about the selection process that he believed was flawed and was not in the MOU. Now folks, if Mr. Darboe came from that selection process as the leader of NADD, does anyone believe that we will be here talking about the disintegration of NADD. He allowed himself to be nominated, how come he did not insist to his colleagues that this is not an acceptable selection process as stipulated in the MOU. He was nominated and he accepted, and when no one came out of it as the leader, including Mr. Darboe, and now it is convenient to question the viability of the process. This is where his democratic credentials should be seriously questioned, you came into an arrangement base at least thorough a democratic process, and when you do not like the outcome, you walked away from it and accused everyone in the arrangement as insincere. President Jammeh goes around questioning all the opposition as hungry for power, and not committed to the country, don’t you at least see similarities. Look folks, we all know in our hearts and are willing to pay any price to remove president Jammeh, and most of us are willing to take a risk with most of the leaders in the NADD arrangement. But, it is important while we are at it let us all put what is in the interest of the Gambia at the fore front. Mr. Darboe is definitely wrong about STGDP, and I am not saying that we do not have people among us who had their own partisan leaning – Karamba Touray a big time UDP supporter a STGDP member will not sit idly by and allow the organization to work against the interest of the UDP party. It will be unfair to use comments made by STGDP as a political cover for branding us as insincere. Bottom line, history will be the final judge, Mr. Darboe left the arrangement because he was not crown the leader, everything else is hogwash. The flicker of light in this whole process is that ultimately the Gambian people will have the final say who will be the next president of the Gambia.

Thanks

Musa JEng

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