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The Scramble over Gambia 2006 -Part twoThe NADD Factor:
The Scramble over Gambia 2006 -Part two
The NADD Factor:

By Yankuba Darboe

NADD is the political alliance created on the memorandum of misunderstanding; and when the misunderstanding became understanding it collapsed. It is now clear that NADD has been abandoned by its parents; mum and dad, UDP/NRP. This begs the question, can NADD now succeed in this year’s scramble over Gambia 2006; under the care of its adopted parents; PDOIS, NDAM and half PPP; in order to depose our despotic monster King Kong Jammeh. Indeed, that was the main reason, which the NADD political alliance was created to do come this year’s election. That is to help us see the back of our nemesis, the cousin of late Idi Amin Dada, from the state house. However, NADD is now becoming the contrary, which begs me to question have we created another Frankenstein monster, in the form of NADD; that is becoming too difficult to handle than the King Kong Jammeh himself.

Reading from the exchanges that transpired between Ousainou Darboe and Halifa Sallah, you can almost sense, with certainty, that we have a problem between those two. There is indeed beef between these two, but can you blame them. The only obstacle between these two and becoming the next president of the Gambia is not Yahya Jammeh, but they themselves. If we had no NADD we might not have probably had such problem, since we would not have had Halifa as a presidential candidate. However, I would not venture into the dissension between Halifa and Darboe, as to who deserve to lead NADD. From my own humble opinion this is not where the troubles about NADD started. The troubles about NADD started from its birth, contrary to what many would think that it started from the abandoning of UDP/NRP. I would not also question why the UDP/NRP alliance decided to abandon NADD, I hope to explain this in my next article. However, my biggest question this time is why! Why did our opposition parties decide to come together in the first place, was it for our interest or their interest. The answer is definitely their egocentric interest; which lead to the dead of our beloved NADD; rest in peace NADD!

There are a lot of people who will disagree with me that NADD is dead; when we still have NADD as a party in the Gambia. Well, I tell you what, in my family we had a Lamin, my elder brother who died long time ago, but we still have a Lamin, my other brother’s son. And to add more support to my claim, I bring you some distinctions between the NADD we have now and the late NADD, may his soul rest in peace.
The new NADD is not as powerful as the old.
The new has not got the same members as the old.
The new NADD has a leader; the old hasn’t.
In fact the new is fighting against some members of the old.
Etc.
What Gambia needs is not the new NADD but that of the old. We need the old because he was strong, he was wise and he was going to free us from our despotic monster, Yahya Jammeh, who is giving us nightmares. We need the old because he brought us unity for the first time against the monster King Kong Jammeh.

Unfortunately, as it is the case in every dead issue, we can challenge each other or blame each other over the dead of our beloved NADD; but we can never resurrect him back to life. It is time we accept, with all the pain it may cause, that our beloved hopeful is gone and is gone forever. NADD was too popular for his own good. We must now concentrate on the battle ahead. Remember the monster still remains and he is fighting us as hard as he can with all his power of intimidation, killings and tortures; we must not let him defeat us. If he wins this election, which he looks set to do, we should not repent but to be steadfast and resolute to our course. We must always remember our course is the righteous. If the monster is gone the battle is over but if he remains the battle continues.

Coming back to the subject of this piece, which is the new NADD and its leader Halifa Sallah. As a continuation to my previous article of the same heading; in this piece, I intend to balance the prospects of the new NADD’s presidential candidate, Halifa Sallah, by looking at his strengths and weaknesses, as he takes on our despotic dictator Yahya Adolph James Juhu Jammeh. What are Halifa’s major strengths? First, of all Halifa, does not need any introduction to the Gambian politics, he knows it in and out. Although, he will not be much of a threat to Jammeh; but he will surely be a threat to the other opposition leader Lawyer Darboe. Halifa has also got more support on the net and with the Gambian Americans than any other party in the country. He will also benefit from the doubt that the late NADD is dead and he is not leading it. There are some thick sculled Gambians, who still believe we have the same NADD, as before, and that Halifa is the leader for both UDP and NRP. They better speak to Mathew K Jallow for some intellectual clarifications on that front.

However, what are Halifa’s major weaknesses? First of all, He has not got the support of the well known parties of the late NADD, UDP and NRP; instead he is left with the support of the little known parties of the late NADD, i.e. PDOIS, NDAM, and PPP. Halifa’s major support is in America and on the net; unfortunately, this people don’t vote in the Gambian elections. All they do is talk, talk, talk! When they finished their day’s labouring job for the white man. Halifa is not well known to the voters in the Gambia, with the exception of Serrekunda – Banjul. In the up Gambia, they know him as Halifa what? Then, you have to do some explanations for them to understand. The best way to do this is to associate him with the PDOIS four; that is obviously: Sidia Jatta, Halifa Sallah, Sam Sarr and of course the white Land Rover, with the loudspeakers fixed at the top. And because you mentioned Sidia’s name, you then get the obvious remarks, “may his soul rest in peace”. You are left wondering who is dead, and then you ask who is dead? The answer, “I thought you said Sidia is dead”! If you are short tempered; you get mad because you never said that, but that’s what they understand from your meaning. Because if Sidia is not dead, how come Halifa is the leader.

To be continued!

Posted on Tuesday, August 08, 2006 (Archive on Tuesday, August 29, 2006)
Posted by PNMBAI Contributed by PNMBAI

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