Mai Fatty, a diasporan himself, said: “GMC strongly supports this gesture and further praise President Jammeh’s political courage and goodwill in effectively engaging those he may have considered his arch political adversaries. A hallmark of pragmatic leadership is the capacity to harness and work with all shades of divergent opinions, with the ability to objectively dissociate issues from personality. Like most Gambians, GMC is encouraged in assuming the president’s sincerity by virtue of the strong moral and spiritual justification or rationale provided by himself.”
The opposition leader however cautioned President Jammeh against using the amnesty to either trap or neutralise his opponents, calling for the pronouncement to be made into an effective political policy framework.
Mr Fatty added: “In implementing this highly unexpected conduct, GMC offers a standing ovation to President Jammeh. Beyond reconciliation efforts extended specifically to the diaspora, it is imperative for national political dialogue to take place on issues such as the electoral reforms, amnesty to political detainees and prisoners, rule of law discrepancies, etc.
“GMC encourages the government to take a positive, bold new initiative on these issues. We undertake to support and compliment government’s efforts on these matters as a responsible national opposition. This is because it falls within our stated competence of supporting and working with the government on areas of common moral or policy convergence such as these. Our constitutional role as a government-in-waiting is not simply to oppose every government policy, action or conduct for the sake being an opposition. Rather it is proper and mandatory to accord national interests pre-eminently, to openly support government when national interest demands, and to offer concrete divergence when in our estimation such interests equally require.
“When a serious leader seizes the rare opportunity making a solemn pronouncement on the occasion of a national milestone, it is taken seriously by all citizens and the world at large. All Gambians both at home and abroad and the international community GMC looks forward to the rapid, full unconditional translation of the solemn executive pronouncement from mere words to verifiable concrete action.”
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