By Omar Bah
Minutes after signing a coalition agreement between his Citizens’ Alliance and three other parties, Dr Ismaila Ceesay said the agreement represents “a political death warrant” for President Adama Barrow and his government.
The signing took place yesterday which formally brought together, at least for now, three parties, who have agreed to form a united platform to contest the presidential election in December.
The signing ceremony was held at the Paradise Suites Hotel between the Gambia Moral Congress, GMC, Citizens’ Alliance, CA, and All People’s Party, APP. It is also expected that the Gambia For All, GFA and the National Unity Party, will join in the coming days.
Addressing the meeting shortly after signing the agreement, the CA leader continued: “Today is a historic day for Gambia’s democracy and development. The political death warrant for President Barrow and his government has just been signed and the framework that will lay the foundation for unprecedented social development and inclusive prosperity has also just been signed.”
Dr Ceesay said the alliance intends to bring all the opposition parties together to remove President Barrow and his ‘bad government’. “We still urge all the other parties to come and join the alliance because it is the future,” he added.
The process to form the alliance started in early September with a total of 11 political parties consulted on the possibility of forming a joint force against Barrow.
However, the Gambia Democratic Congress, GDC, United Democratic Party, UDP and Gambia Action Party have either pulled out or have not continued to show much commitment.
The APP leader Dr Bai Biran Jagne said the five parties which formed the alliance have realised that the country is more important than their individual party interests.
The GMC leader, Mai Fatty said the parties that made up the alliance have all it takes to transform the country.
“We uånderstand it is not a contest about crowds. That is not what life is about. We understand it is not about the number of vehicles you drive along a campaign or the Benachin and the drum beating but about your education and the future of your youths,” he said.
Alliance goals
According to the initiator, the alliance, when voted into office, will form an inclusive government, undertake fundamental reforms, address issues of development in The Gambia, consolidate peace and stability, deepen democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights among other things.
“The alliance members have tasked themselves to within 30 days of assumption of office, produce an economic reform and expansion blue-print to comprehensively address the priorities of the economy,” Mr Jagne said.
Selection of flag-bearer
The modalities of selecting a flag-bearer in the MoU said the parties may unanimously agree on a common candidate at a go through an open “no-objection” procedure.
However, in the event of an objection raised, the MoU advises that this procedure shall be abandoned in favour of the other selection which will include considering integrity, academic/professional qualification or life time experience and electability.
The other selection method includes each participating political party nominating ten delegates who will vote and the candidate with the highest number of votes using the 50% plus principle shall be the flag- bearer. Whereas the leading candidates fall short of the 50% threshold, there will be a second round.
