Team Gambia Enters Flagbearer Selection Process‎

One of the coordinators of the Team Gambia Coalition, veteran PDOIS politician Halifa Sallah, has announced that the process in the building of the alliance has reached flagbearer selection, with the ultimate leader expected to be unveiled shortly.

Addressing a press conference yesterday, Sallah disclosed that this process will be very much different from the process of Coalition 2016 which brought Adama Barrow to power.

‎”In 2016, the flagbearer was selected without the people knowing even what the agreement contained, and even after the victory, people were still asking who signed what. This time, nobody will be selected until we go to the people and tell them what exactly we are going to do,” Sallah said.

According to him, aspirants for the flag bearer position, (who are yet to be named), will traverse the country to indicate to Gambians why they deserve to be trusted with their power through the ballot box.

‎He pointed out that the Team Gambia coalition intends to give the country a new start with clean hands and ensure the country is handed over to the “true children” of The Gambia.

‎Sallah further disclosed that Team Gambia will work on a constitutional reform programme with a transitional provision that will take into consideration the promise of one term for the person who will be selected as flagbearer, and that he or she would not contest in the election that follows.

‎”The emphasis here is getting the people to be in charge because it is the people who voted, so raising their awareness to where nobody can promise and fail them and still be returned is what our goal is.

Basically, it is to make Gambian citizens sovereign that nobody can fool them.So that is why no flagbearer is selected until the aspirants engage with the people, as opposed to 2016,” he said.

Asked if he himself will consider becoming a flagbearer or taking a backseat, Halifa replied: “It is important to bear in mind the difference between standing for elections and abdicating a responsibility of a citizen. What was said was well calculated and ultimately history will absolve me. What we are doing now is to prove to you that belonging to political parties etc is not what citizenship requires. It is just a means of articulating what is inherent in us and that is our sovereignty. The constitution is saying sovereignty and power resides in me. That power can never be alienated and I will not sit idly by and watch other people’s power being alienated. So my duty is exactly what I am doing now and that duty will continue to lead us to The Gambia that we want. A Gambia where power and wealth will go back to the people and we will ensure to give the country a new start with clean hands. Whether it is Halifa Sallah or somebody who is going to be a presidential candidate, is  not the issue. You will soon know that.”

Source: The Standard