The case for a United Opposition is the strongest case put forward in the war against the APRC. Such an incubator idea would have had the opportunity of not only uniting the opposition, but setting up a formidable force ( note the use of the past tense), against which the ruling APRC would have a teething battle. Why i'm i using the past when describing this ideal arrangement? The postponement of the UDP to attend the ALD meetings, which, by the way, is the ground for discussions aimed at finally uniting the opposition, is a big blow to the success of any coalition among the opposition parties. Why? Simple, the UDP is the leading opposition in Gambian politics. It's presence by itself sends a message of hope to the anti-Jammeh camp. It is common knowledge that the non-participation of the UDP in any talks geared towards fostering a coalition is a failed enterprise. Therefore, the entire issue of uniting the opposition is a far reaching fantasy. It is my understanding that the only reasons advanced by the UDP is the fact that the party leadership is to make sure that the registration exercise goes accordingly. Tell me, is Darboe personally going from registartion centre to registration centre making sure all is well? Couldn't Waa Juwara take care of business, or any other party big wig, for that matter? The Gambian opposition and indeed the organisers of this event deserve a better explanation. This excuse is totally incomprehensible. The Agency responsible for the registration exercise, Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), should be a trusted agency capable of handling the simple task of registering voters. In this case, the UDP leadership is doubting such capability on the part of this ageny, and please note, this same agency oversees the entire voting process, counting and declaring the winner. You do not trust them in registering voters, but will trust them with the votes casted, counting them and determining the next President. A brother talked about the simple procedure of delegating responsibility. Sure this could be some asset the UDP can use. Is Darboe the brain and the be-it-all? Another issue bothering me is the fact that such a principled party as PDOIS may not fall for the idea of a united opposition. PDOIS believes in the enlightenment of the voter, and them having the choice of choosing representatives based on their message and plan of action designed for the Gambia. Can you imagine Sidia Jatta rallying behind Ousainou Darboe simply because Yahya is to be defeated at all cost? Ugh, i cannot see that happening. This drive, from my perspective is only to strengthen UDP and, to fund it for the elections. Nothing wrong with this. Afterall elections are all about money. But the idea of a united opposition is slowly growing dim and dimmer by the minute. One need not be an expert to see the weaknesses of the mechanics in place. My thoughts for now, Harona. _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html You may also send subscription requests to [log in to unmask] if you have problems accessing the web interface and remember to write your full name and e-mail address. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------