NOT FOR PUBLICATION (informal content with typos),

Alningbara Kambiya-L Bantaba,

My post-election commentary for publication will be delayed due to heavy schedule but I feel I should drop some notes to the foolish opposition strategists. HAHAHA! Catch me if you can.

Hope the opposition people are not planning to stupidly enter the 2012 parliamentary race with the same failed presidential election formulae?

Please, unite and re-strategize. How do you expect to change the election laws through the constitutional process if you do not have the required number of parliamentary seats for it?

Stop wasting your time with complaints that will just be ignored. You knew before hand the electoral process was full of shortcomings but instead of boycotting it like say, the ECOWAS, you chose to participate fully. Blame yourselves for failing to pressure Jammeh to correct the anomalies before the polls.

The impending parliamentary election of 2012 is your second and please make the best use of it. The current electoral system favours the ruling APRC party and do not expect it to change it for you without a nasty fight. The PPP government maintained an electoral system that suited it. The APRC has its desired system. Any government after APRC, be it UDP, NRP, GMC, PPP, etc, will of course fight for an electoral system that satisfies its taste. Save me the “we will do it better than APRC” propaganda. Let the political novices swallow the crap.

Progressive modifications of the current electoral code could be in the interests of ALL the opposition parties. So an ALL-opposition parliamentary strategy will be a win-win for the parties.

I do not want to hear that UDP as the largest opposition party should lead and other should follow, bla-bla-bla. The parties should devise a minimum cost-effective consensus of unanimously backing the opposition candidates with the better chances of defeating the ruling party challenger in a given constituency.

If for examples, a PDOIS candidate stands the best chance of winning in Serekunda East, then the other oppositions parties should, instead of filling separate candidates, back the PDOIS contender. If an NRP candidate has the better chance in Saloum, apply the same formula. Follow the same procedures in constituences that the candidates of UDP, GMC, PPP, GPDP have better chances of defeating the APRC candidates respectively.

It is possible. If the aim is to have enough opposition seats in parliament to influence the legislative process, then the above simple formula should not be a problem. Of course, any one with a better idea is free to float it.  The interest of the Gambia supersedes party politics and personal interests. It is about democracy and nation building. Not "tolecracy" and ego-boosting.

Dear opposition, do not mess up with yoour parliamentary elections. Start today.

My own concern remains the Gambia's Republican status. I wish I could be proven wrong. If the APRC collects all the parliamentary seats or a normal law-making majority, the Chiefs and some APRC parliamentarians would re-activate their kingship campaign. They could float a motion to put it through a referendum.

To me the kingship issue is not dead. It is just suspended as it was raised closer to the 2011-2013 election calendar. Until and unless President Jammeh openly distances himself from it, the kingship issue remains alive. For the chiefs would not call for a monarchy after closed-door meetings without the silent blessing of Babili Mansa under the pretext of freedom of opinion.

The opposition can stop it if they pull their resources togethers and have the strategic number of seats to prevent such moves. Otherwise, the non-parliamentary civil society organizations, media and intellectuals would have do it.  The kingship issue could force  me to launch my "Operations No Jangalemeh" (operation no bastand) campaign to counter it in a referendum. Let us hope it does not come to that.

I for one do not care about President Jammeh's conducts as long as The Gambia remains a  Secular Democratic Republic. His blunders can be corrected.

Remember that Gambians/African are the ones who can solve their own problems. The International Community of cargo cult messiahs will not do it. The Gambia has no strategic natural resources that will make USA, NATO and UN send special forces to “protect civilians” and remove Jammeh on behalf of armchair critics dreaming about walking down to Banjul and rule over the locals.

My goodness, you anti-Jammeh people can be at times useless. One has to always did your asses out of the political the dead-end, hey? Please do not make me angry until I become a nasty frontline political hawk. I beg you.

I endorse Jammeh to indirectly pressure the anti-Jammeh people so they can mend their ways. Neutrals like my stubborn self are in a dilemma. Joining Jammeh has the risk of being used and dumped. Joining the anti-Jammeh block bears the risk of being betrayed and frustrated.

Everyone has the right to choose which risk is worth taking. There is nothing like a free lunch and a revolution or evolution is no dinner party.

BWAAAAAAH!


Djamara

Prince B.A.Sankanu


--
HSH Prince Bubacarr A. Sankanu

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