By Omar Bah
A Gambian-born US judge and two other prominent figures have written to opposition party leaders urging them to unite now or hand President Adama Barrow victory at the December election.
The letter signed by Judge Sarjo Barrow, US-based political scientist Dr Lamin Keīta and Lamin Yusupha Jammeh of UK, warned that the opposition’s greatest vulnerability has never been a lack of public support, but fragmentation.
Without unity, that opportunity will be squandered once again, the letter writers warned, while citing rising inflation, corruption, and broken promises of democratic transition as proof that Gambians are ready for change.
A recent CepRass survey revealed that at least 30 to 40 per cent of Gambian voters remain undecided — a bloc that fragmentation will lose.
“2016 proved unity wins; the years since proved division kills,” Keīta and co pointed out, and reminded the disparate parties their legacies will be defined by whether they chose unity over division at the moment the nation needed it most.
The letter writers further demanded that the parties choose a unity candidate independent of narrow partisan interests.
“Set transparent rules for decisions and conflict. Involve civil society to stop a repeat of Coalition 2016’s collapse, and run a single campaign with pooled money and one message,” they advised.
They noted that the advantages of incumbency, the strategic use of state resources, and the current regime’s consolidation of alliances have significantly altered the political terrain and consequently, a divided opposition cannot compete.
The letter further stated. “The country needs a government that is not only legitimate, but effective. This is why the call for a grand opposition coalition must rise above party interests and short-term electoral calculations. The question before you is not simply who leads, but what future you wish to secure for The Gambia.
“The nation requires a coalition built not on convenience, but on conviction, anchored in a shared commitment to institutional reform, democratic consolidation, and national renewal. Such a coalition must present a clear and credible programme of governance: the establishment of presidential term limits, the strengthening of democratic institutions, and reforms that restore public trust in the state
“It will require agreement on a unity candidate who commands broad trust across party lines and is seen as independent of narrow partisan interests. It will require transparent mechanisms for decision-making and conflict resolution within the coalition.
“History will remember this moment. It will ask whether unity was pursued with sincerity and purpose, or whether division prevailed once again. The Gambian people are watching. The future is waiting. The time for unity is now.”
The letter addressed to Ousainu Darboe, Halifa Sallah, Sidia Jatta, Suwaibou Touray, Mamma Kandeh, Lamin J Darboe, Bakary Dabo, Essa Fall, Talib Bensouda and other opposition leaders.
