Mr. Barrow,

My participation on this forum is determined by the issues that being
discussed. I am sure there are many people who are using aliases and still
contributing. The decision to stay anonymous is not only due what
repercussions, if any that may occur. I also mentioned that I if disclosed
my true identity I will not be able to participate fully on some of the
issues because of personal loyalty to some and outright respect for others.
This is a personal choice that has absolutely nothing to do with cowardice.

In all my contributions, you will notice that my language is respectful and
I have backed whatever, I am sure of, with facts and agreed with others when
I believe they've convinced me. May I suggets that rather than trying to
preach me about the virtures of honour, truth and heroism, which
incidentally I also believe in, you make your opinions known about why the
UDP/NRP coalition absmally failed in Kiang. When some tried to narrow it
down to vote buying, I emphatically said NO. I said that there was more to
it than that. I defended that view by saying that the voter turnout in
Kiang, which was 72.44% was good enough to reflect the views of the people.
When I suggested that those who did not vote, were probably dead, sick,
migrated or exercised their right not to vote, I was advised not downplay
the significance of the 1,056 absentee votes as these could have swung the
outcome the other way. I conceded but countered that suppose all those
absentee voters actually voted but 15% chose to vote for the APRC candidate,
he would still have won with a majoriy of 53. I was told that it did not
make sence that any of those absentee voters would have voted for the APRC
otherwise the APRC would not have bought their cards in the first place.
They ascerted that those absentee votes must have been legitimate UDP
supporters who were induced to part with their cards to deprive the UDP of
winning. Well, well, well, guess what, for the UDP candidate TO WIN BY 1
VOTE, voter turn-out would have had to be MORE THAN 93%. And for the UDP to
maintain its previous majority of 35 votes, voter turn-out would have had to
over 94%.

As you seem to be a reasonable man; ask yourself this question: If, in a
by-election in their own stronghold, UNLESS VOTER TURN-OUT EXCEEDS 93% MEANS
SURE DEFEAT, how about in traditional APRC strongholds?

You see this does not in any way suggest my own political opinion. In fact
this was meant to trigger a re-think in the UDP camp of both their strategy
and approach for these by-elections. I even made some suggestions as to what
they can do. It is very unfortunate that some UDP supporters saw it as a
dieheart APRC supporter defending the Massacre of school children, defending
dirimocracy, abductions, abitrary arrest, torture, my job, etc, etc.

Now tell me, if you are honest with yourself, does my identity really have
any relevance to the above issue? From what I have explained does it mean
that I am coward or biased towards the APRC or any party for that matter?

My position on the outcome of the Kiang elections remain the same:
VOTE-BUYING DID NOT COST THE UDP ELECTION IN KIANG. If there is any body who
can analyse this result and prove me wrong or can conclude that the UDP did
not suffer a MAJOR SETBACK in Kiang is welcome.

Those who consider themselves genuinely sympathetic to the course of the UDP
and believe that the UDP can win the next elections must RETHINK their
strategy. The current one ain't working bro.

Have a good day and bye 4Now,  KB Jobe.

     ==========================================================
"There is a time in the life of every problem when it is big enough to see,
yet small enough to solve"

                  (MIKE LEAVITT)
     ===========================================================



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