By Alhagie Jobe
Opposition political parties in The Gambia, who have been on an intense coalition talks ahead of the December Presidential elections, Friday, adopted a coalition option memorandum for selecting a standard bearer to face incumbent President Yahya Jammeh.
The talks held at the Kairaba Beach Hotel brought together political party leaders and their representatives as well as the Independent Candidate representative and civil society groups.
After a day long talks, the leaders agreed to meet again on Sunday, 16 October, 2016 at 11am GMT at the YMCA to review the memorandum, despite no formal agreement reach.
All opposition political parties have signed the coalition option agreement adopted except The Gambia Democratic Congress (GDC) of Mama Kandeh.
Kebba Singhateh signed on behalf of Gambia Moral Congress (GMC); Sarja Jarhue signed on behalf of the Gambia Party for Democracy and Progress (GPDP); Majank Samusa signed on behalf of the National Convention Party (NCP); Pa Touray Bajinka signed on behalf of the National Reconciliation Party (NRP); Amie Sillah signed on behalf of the People’s Democratic Organisation for Independence and Socialism (PDOIS); Omar A Jallow alias OJ signed on behalf of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP); Alhagie S Darboe signed on behalf of the United Democratic Party (UDP) and Ramzia Diab signed on behalf of Independent Candidate Dr Isatou Touray.
Meanwhile, from the Civil Society groups, Aja Fatoumatta Tambajang signed on behalf of the Committee of Concern Gambians for Democracy and Peace (CCGDP) and Kebba Singhateh signed on behalf of the Interparty Committee for Opposition Unification (IPCOU).
Below is the full press release;
Coalition option adopted by opposition parties, Independent Presidential Candidate aspirant and invited participants from civil society
We, the signatories of this memorandum comprising the representatives of member parties of the Gambian opposition for Electoral Reform (GOFER), the aspiring Independent Candidate from Civil Society and the invited participants from Civil Society, putting our differences aside, in pursuance of the supreme National Interest, do hereby agree;
To hold a National Convention comprising 10 delegates from each region selected by each signatory party and presidential aspirant from Civil Society, who are accorded the key mandate to elect one of the aspiring presidential candidates to be a flag bearer of the coalition for the 1st December 2016 Presidential elections;
To this end, we further agree to set up technical committees that are charged with the mandate to work out the modalities required to hold the National Convention.
