I
am tempted to comment on some of the unfortunate and unprecedented sentiments
being expressed by certain individuals who are indeed very ignorant of the
reality and being consumed by selfishness and other egos towards some very
respected personalities in our political circles.
Most
of us are shouting at the top of our voices today, thanks to democracy and the
positive change of government in the December polls.
It
is no hidden fact though that most of us commenting on the current state of
affairs in the country today had dared not some two or three months ago. What
is therefore prudent on us all is to embrace and cherish the change positively
in the spirit of one Gambia, one Nation, one People.
It
is disheartening and a setback for our young democracy to hear people who are
neither equipped with any background of political knowledge nor bore any
requisite experience in politics, aiming verbal attacks and character
assassination on some of our veteran political figures in the country. I found
this really unfair and uncalled for.
One
like Halifa Sallah, who had held the country together during the resent
political impasse rather single handed is being seen in some quarters as
someone who wants to undermine the Barrow administration and that being the
reason why he and his PDOIS party declined to take ministerial post in the
government and rather vying for the National Assembly. I am sure President
Barrow would not subscribe to these views.
This
is narrow mind thinking. I haven’t seen any individual who has participated so
hard than Halifa Sallah in bringing the coalition together and convincing the
electorate that their votes can bring about a change in the status quo. Had it
not been him, it would have taken the country months or even never to eject the
former regime.
When
the election results were annulled and fresh elections being called for, Halifa
went on radio stations and wrote in newspapers that the one who wanted to do
that do not have the legal mandate to do so.
And
he urged the electorate to focus on the date the new president was to be sworn
in rather than focusing on what a loser of an election said. It was that, that
kept the population calm and resolute.
We
all have our favourites but when truth is evident let it always guide our
conscience.
I
hope we have a dozen or more of his type in the National Assembly to lay the
democratic principles we had all yearned for so long.
