By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT
According to an interview with the IPCOU Secretary General, Mr Musa Sonko, he highlighted that “Immediately after the Tobaski prayers [after 12th September 2016] they are getting together to begin the process of dialoguing among themselves to come out with one candidate whom they think that can win against the APRC. We are just waiting for them to give us the candidate that we are all going to follow.” This indicates that the IPCOU is still yet to conclude unity discussions to select one candidate to represent the opposition. A leaked document allegedly published by the IPCOU indicates that a draft for Opposition Alliance has been finalised, which recommends for an independent candidate to lead the alliance.
The IPCOU’s decision to endorse an independent candidate or one of their party leaders will have an impact in the opposition’s ability to field one candidate against the incumbent in the upcoming December 1st Presidential Elections. Contrary to news reports on Gambian online media concerning the resignation of two opposition parties from unity discussions, Musa Sonko has confirmed that no party has actually left the negotiation table.
Why the Deafening Silence?
The IPCOU’s first press conference of the year came in late March. Since then the only update to the press has been from a leaked document. In the absence of any press release there has been a lot of speculation regarding the IPCOU’s activities. It must be highlighted that the IPCOU is not the same as the Inter Party committee (IPC) which issued a press release on April 20th in the wake of protests sparked by the death of UDP militant Solo Sandeng. The IPC’s main aim and purpose is “to address the current political tensions” as stated in their press release. A major difference between the IPCOU and the IPC is that the latter includes the APRC and seven opposition parties. Since the IPC’s April 20th press release, nothing else has been communicated by that committee. The only logical reason which can be given for the deafening silence of both committees is that a United Opposition will naturally prefer to strategise against the Incumbent without their knowledge. Or could it be that both committee’s are dysfunctional due to conflict of interest?
What is the Inter Party Committee?
According to the same leaked document from the IPCOU “The Inter-Party Committee for opposition unification (IPCOU) is a grass root pressure group comprising mainly youths from the following opposition parties that subscribed to the committee: namely NRP, PPP, GPDP, UDP, NCP, GMC and GDC.” This point is corroborated by Musa Sonko who stated in an interview that the drafting “committee comprises of three representatives from parties just to formulate, they are only few representatives, junior party representatives.”
The document states that “This committee is formed to re-enforce the work of the main Inter- Party Committee for Oppositions formerly called Group of six opposition parties in respond to the demand of the opposition to unite against the incumbent and end his self-perpetuation to power. The group of six opposition parties is considered dormant in pursuit of its demands and proposals for electoral reforms, this prompted the formation of the Inter-Party Committee for Opposition Unification (IPCOU).” It can be recalled that the Group of Six was initially created as the Gambia Opposition for Electoral Reforms (GOFER) with the main aim of progressing electoral reforms. It now appears that all attention has now shifted from Electoral Reforms to Opposition Unity.
Impact on Unity Talks
From the leaked IPCOU document it appears that their preference is for a two years transitional government as opposed to a five years interim government proposed by the Independent Candidate Dr. Isatou Touray. Contrary to an article published by The Torch headlined “Coalition: opposition committee agree on independent candidate”, Mr Musa Sonko stated in an interview that Party leaders are to meet this week to begin discussions and that “If they can agree on selecting a candidate among themselves it is fine, we will support it. Whereas that cannot happen we can also bring us a candidate from anywhere in the civil society or in any person, we will surely rally behind that particular candidate”.
The only credible explanation for the confusion concerning the final recommendation of the IPCOU is from Mr Sonko who explains that “when the [drafting] committee finished their draft, they decided that they should hold a press conference, which was not proper with us. As the Secretary General and Spokesperson, I advised them that was rather premature. If they had finished that draft, for it to go to the central committee for their review and then finally to their party leaders for their consent before we go on to the press.” What is clear from Mr Sonko is that the recommendation is still yet to be ratified and adopted by Opposition Party Leaders. The IPCOU’s bureaucratic procedures could be labelled as very laborious and resulting to the current gridlock on opposition unity. It is also clear that an independent candidate has been listed as option a with the drafting committee recommending that an independent candidate leads the United Coalition.
Conclusion
To date the IPCOU has only responded to the electorate with deafening silence and their failure to come up with any results on Electoral Reforms and Opposition Unity is further proof that they are not capable of putting their differences aside for their comrades, tortured and killed for protesting for electoral reforms. In my opinion, selecting any opposition party leader will test the already fragile trust and collaboration between party leaders and their surrogates. Relationships are based on success and achievements and so far the opposition have achieved very little success on reforms and opposition unity. As opposition leaders stroll leisurely onto the negotiation table [hopefully sometime this week], an entire nation will be holding it’s breath on their decision and many hope that they remember the sacrifices made by brave Gambians who protested for electoral reforms. The decision by the IPCOU’s drafting committee to recommend an independent candidate highlights that youth party leaders also see the likelihood of a United Coalition implosion if any opposition party leader is selected to lead. In light of this it would be disingenuous for Opposition Leaders to disregard the recommendation of the drafting committee just for their own individual ambition. It’s time to put the country first.
Presidential Candidates (1 Incumbent, 9 Opposition Parties and 2 Independent)
APRC – Yayah Jammeh, GDC – Mama Kandeh, GMC – None Yet, GPDP – None Yet
Independent – Dr Isatou Touray and Henry Joof have both announced their intention to run as an Independent Candidate
NCP – Dr Bolongding, NDAM – None Yet, NRP – Hamat Bah, PDOIS – Halifa Sallah, PPP – None Yet, UDP – Adama Barrow
Sources
Interview with Musa Sonko, IPCOU Secretary General (WADR) – https://soundcloud.com/westafricademocracyradio/gambia-inter-opposition-party-committee-spokesman-optimistic-about-opposition-coalition
IPCOU Press Conference (The Point) – http://thepoint.gm/africa/gambia/article/interparty-opposition-committee-discusses-electoral-reforms
IPCOU Road Map (The Torch) – https://torchongambia.wordpress.com/2016/09/09/opposition-coalition-read-interparty-committee-detail-roadmap/
IPCOU Agree on Independent Candidate (The Torch) – https://torchongambia.wordpress.com/2016/09/08/coalition-opposition-committee-agree-on-independent-candidate/