By Omar Bah
Former Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan’s latest attempt to resurrect the rejected draft constitution has failed again.
Yesterday’s meeting was expected to seek consensus on the retroactive clause of the [president’s current] term and the method to reintroduce the draft constitution to the National Assembly, having made progress in other contentious areas.
The mediation specialist had even flown political party leaders to Nigeria to continue talks in a different environment.
This is the third time he is travelling to the country since December last year.
The Standard has been reliably informed that UDP leader, Ousainu Darboe insisted that his party’s central committee concluded that the draft must go to a referendum unaltered.
The source said Darboe made it clear that he cannot go against the decision of his party’s central committee.
However, according to our source, the stakeholders who attended the meeting urged the UDP leader to sit with President Barrow to find a solution on the retroactive clause.
The stakeholders have also recommended for the two to put their political differences aside and sit as mature leaders in the best interest of the country.
Some delegates also suggested a separate referendum on the contentious retroactive clause for Gambians to decide.
Jonathan, who is said to have left the mediation room unhappy and disappointed, is expected to meet with stakeholders again today. However, our source said it is unlikely that the meeting will go ahead as planned.
