The oil rich West African nation of Nigeria with a population of over 173 million people (2013) has successfully elected a New President from the opposition who appears to have handily defeated the Incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan. The election which was fiercely contested between Nigeria’s former military ruler known for his tough on corruption General Muhamed Buhari and the powerful incumbent Present Goodluck Jonathan was largely peaceful and conducted with high level political maturity and enthusiasm. Nigerians all over the vastly oil rich nation were fully engaged in their democracy and…
Author: Gainako
First things first! CONGRATULATIONS to honorable Omar A. Jallow and the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) for a very successful rally celebrating the country’s 50th Independence Anniversary. It was not only fitting considering it was the Party that led us to independence, but very timely and necessary. With all its weaknesses, it’s long overdue for the PPP to defend its record against all the smear campaign, the mudslinging by Yaya and the APRC. Time and time again, OJ has consistently done that with high velocity and degree of vehemence. What we’ve heard from the rally in Brikama was the…
ABUJA, March 31 (Reuters) – Nigeria’s opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) declared victory in the presidential election on Tuesday, saying Africa’s most populous nation was “witnessing history.” “This is the first time in Nigeria that a sitting government will be voted out of power using purely democratic means,” APC spokesman Lai Mohammed told Reuters at the house in the capital where party leader Muhammdu Buhari was watching the results come in. “The people of Nigeria have taken over.” He added that the APC had no reason to doubt that President Goodluck Jonathan would concede defeat. “He said several times…
By Mathew K Jallow Is it a sign of the times; perhaps even a new paradigm shift, or just an ephemeral indulgence in rare political maturity? In the coming weeks and months, two very conflicting and contradictory events will likely occur, one of which may redefine Africa’s political direction for generations to come. Africa has, for long, been haunted by a stigma of a mostly true, but also of a somewhat embellished nature. But all that is about to change, as what looks like a political maverick, but certainly a trendsetter, emerges from the…
Series by Sarjo Bayang Part 2: Focus on resourceful public wealth creation and responsible distribution Most productive combination of material, money, and human capital as employable inputs for optimal value added output is one way to measure efficient management of resources. To be head of government or being responsible for decision making as part of public duty demands a person of resourceful drive. This also requires prudent allocation of resources for higher returns in value added terms. Having custody of public resources must be taken as responsibility and not an opportunity to exploit the position by corruption in whatsoever…
‘GROUPS INTENSIFY PRESSURE TO HOLD JAMMEH GOV’T ACCOUNTABLE FOR STUDENT MASSACRE; HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS AND POLITICAL OPPRESSION IN GAMBIA’ Press Release On April 11, 2015, in Washington, DC, Gambian civil society organizations will hold a protest to commemorate the 15th anniversary of one of the darkest days in Gambian history, the April the 10th and 11th student massacre. On this day, the Jammeh regime unleased security forces on students peacefully protesting the rape of a 14 year old student, and the death of another at the hands of security forces. This day will be forever be etched in…
By D. A. Jawo We can all recall with some apprehension that during his speech to mark the Gambia’s Golden Jubilee celebrations on 18thFebruary, President Yahya Jammeh reiterated his vision to transform the Gambia into an economic super power which will surpass such economic giants like Dubai, Singapore and Qatar by 2025. However, even with a cursory glance at the Gambian economy and the prevailing untenable governance and social environment, to hear such a statement in the presence of some foreign heads of state and representatives of the international community was indeed an embarrassment to many Gambians who were…
‘THOUGHT PROVOKING COMMENTARY’ Winds of change are in the air, storm clouds are gathering over The Gambia, the end is near for good luck Jammeh. 20 years of systematic degradation of all civil society groups have relegated The Gambia into a stable ambulatory failed state. All efforts at the moment have been centralized and focused on the remedy for the country’s prevailing ailments; sooner or later good luck Yaya Jammeh will inherit his final name change – bad luck Yaya Jammeh. Like his Ugandan brother from another mother, Idi Amin, bad luck Yaya Jammeh will have no choice but…
Students of the University of the Gambia Yesterday 25 March 2015, held Bakary Minteh a protest against the decisions made by the Administration on the Grading system as well as a 10 percent increment of tuition fees. The protest was held in the form of a march past from the law faculty campus in Kanifing towards the Higher Education Ministry at Bertil Harding High Way in Kotu. A large number of students from different faculties of the UTG around 4-4:30pm gathered at the law faculty campus and marched along Karaiba avenue up to…