By Lamin Cham
A new political party has been formed and it’s due for registration at the Independent Electoral Commission in the not-too-distant future, credible sources told The Standard over the weekend.
The party, called Gambia African National Unity, GANU, is headed by Sheikh Tijan Hydara, a former Attorney General and state counsel with over 25 years of experience in law practice.
Mr Hydara is also the son of the late Sheriff Kebba Hydara of Brufut, venerable Imam and scholar well-known in the sub-region and beyond.
According to our source who claimed to be a senior official of the party but preferred anonymity, GANU is going to be a hit in the country’s political arena because it will be the first platform that will provide the Gambian voter an avenue to chose a completely different set of progressive, positive thinkers with an eye for a total transformation of the Gambian political landscape to be free from any of the age-old “isms that have dogged Gambian politics for so long. This is a united force that is unrivaled in political correctness in terms of composition, structure, comportment and strategy, all these in cognizant of the political needs of the Gambia as it stands today,” our informer stated.
The Standard yesterday contacted Mr Hydara on the matter and he said:”I am not sure I am keen on talking on matters prematurely but equally I don’t like leaving rumours to become monstrous speculations so I want to confirm that yes such a movement is formed and it is in its embryonic stages so far. It is inspired by a strong appeal and call by both dignified ordinary and highly respected Gambians at home and abroad and once all the tenets of the party are in place, you will surely be among the national news outlets who will be invited to the official unveiling of the party and its programmes,” he said.
He gave no further details.
Mr Hydara, a native of Brufut holds an LLM in legislative drafting from the University of West Indies Cavehill Camp in 2002. Prior to this, he read and obtained a BL from the Nigeria Law School Victoria Island Lagos in 1997, and an LLB from Usman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto Nigeria in 1996.
Mr Hydara also worked at the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights from 2008 to 2013 and served as an adjunct lecturer at the faculty of Law University of the Gambia, lecturing various law courses before setting up his law firm in 2014.
