Gainako Newspaper

..WILL GAMBIAN ELECTORATES NEUTRALIZE
.....EXCESSIVE PRESIDENTIAL POWERS?
..................................By Demba Baldeh, Editor & Political analyst..............Posted January 23rd, 2007

In today's editorial, Gainako editor and Political analyst, Demba Baldeh questioned Gambian electorates if they
will change the existing situation to neutralise the powers of the APRC administrator, Yaya Jammeh by voting in
the opposition and independent candidates in the forthcoming parliamentary elections. What is certain, current
administrator, Yaya Jammeh is growing so extreme in his desire for recognition of spiritual power. While Jammeh
and his selfish followers may attribute spiritual powers to themselves, it is evident that such a take is so cheap.
over the next months and years, we will campaign against such a move yet to be proved healing.
Our gallant editor Baldeh starts engaging our readership, and please read:

Excessive power in a few individuals’ hands is not only detrimental to society, but also against strong democratic
principles and values. When power is seized by a few individuals or a political party with hidden agendas, they abuse the
power and the people who are the source of that power.

This was the lesson the Republican Party taught the American people when they controlled both the White House and
Congress. Instead of taking advantage of the overwhelming mandate given to them by the American people to advance the
peoples’ agenda, they went on executing some of their unfinished business from previous Republican Administration.
Namely the Iraq War, illegal wiretapping, ethic violation and culture of corruption. They forgot that power was granted to
them by the American people.

At one point, it appeared all hope of bringing back accountability and bipartisan effort to Washington was doomed forever.
Corporate scandals, illegal campaign donations, ethics violation among other issues became the order of the day.

They couldn’t have made a bigger mistake by taking what was a clean mandate to be a blanket amnesty for all out war on
non conservative America. It was back to the redrawing table and for electorates to take over during the midterm elections
to decide the faith of the country. The message from the onset on November 7, 2006 election was thunder and lightening
for a change of direction. Just like that Washington went sour, then Dick Cheney, and Donald Rumsfell were seeing
subduing and parking for an indefinite leave of absent respectively.

Several thousand Miles away in the tiny West African nation of Gambia, a supernatural President cum Psychiatric Doctor
proclaiming to be able to cure the HIV/AID disease is firmly gripping onto power. The President is so intoxicated with
power, that he is poised to rule the country for another forty years with or without mandate from the electorates.

What is so obvious to all democratically independent minds is the opportunity right in front of the Gambian voters to make
history by overwhelmingly voting for the opposition and independent candidates to take over the House of Representatives.
By simply going out and discreetly voting majority candidates from the opposition, Yahya Jammeh and his supernatural idol
worship power maniac will slowly but surely turn upside down over night. Gambian voters would make history across the
world by taking a page from the last Congressional elections in the United States.

Is there a miracle that may be so powerful that can make this a reality with divine intervention? Miracles do happen, but the
chances for that to happen in Gambia, are slimmer than Jammeh’s cure for HIV/AIDS. But wait a minute; if there is a
chance for a born again so-called Muslim from all reality to find a cure for the worlds’ deadliest disease, why can’t it
happen for Gambian electorates to go out in numbers to vote for their candidates of choice to Parliament?

January 25, 2007 Parliamentary elections can and should change forever the dynamics of political the political landscape in
the Gambia. We believe there is a strong chance for Gambian electorates to speak louder and clear and neutralize the
President from his absolute power greed. This can happen simply because all signs from the last Presidential elections show
clear majority voters’disapproval of the President Jammeh’s hang on to power.

Forty Percent (40%) of the electorates fail to turn out to vote during the Presidential elections because they dislike the
President and did not have a trusted opposition party to rally behind. That means the President split 60% of the votes with
the indecisive opposition and won the elections. The 67% of the votes the President won was amid clear domination of
state machinery, the media, and threat of taking development projects away from areas that vote against him.

Now the reality is that all constituencies with the exception of Wuli West and Jarra all voted overwhelming for the
President. Now that fear of retaliation was well taken by the Gambian people and they responded naturally. However, the
situation with Parliamentary elections is completely different. All constituencies can vote against APRC candidates and still
remain loyal to the President as an individual. By voting in opposition candidates, the President can be neutralized and strip
off of his excessive powers. Can and will Gambians take this opportunity just one last chance and make history is doubtful,
but the situation and opportunity is perfect to send chills down the President’s spine just like it happened to President Bush
in Washington. The power of the ballot can be day and night and Gambians should take the opportunity…

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