By-Election: Testing Times for Gambia’s oppositions

The forthcoming by-elections in Wuli East Constituency will serve as testing time for  Gambia’s opposition to prove their worth having failed to make a huge impact in both presidential and parliamentary elections since the advent  of the second republic.

Suwaibou Touray is the opposition National Alliance for Democracy Development (NADD) candidate for the by-election in Wuli East, supported by the People for Democratic Independence and Socialism (PDOIS).

In a telephone interview with The Voice on Saturday April 16, 2011, Mr. Touray said he is contesting for the seat to bring about change in the constituency. He noted that the road condition in the constituency is very poor especially the feeder road linking the district to the Cassamance region of Senegal.

Asked if the election is a testing point for the opposition, he said the by-election is a testing point for both the ruling Alliance for Patriotic and Re-orientation and Construction, APRC and all opposition parties in country.

He pointed out that for the past decade, the APRC has been holding onto the Wuli East seat with no development and no improvement in the lives of its citizens.

Contesting under NADD ticket, he disclosed that his candidature is supported by People for Democratic, Independence and Socialism (PDOIS) and the National Reconciliation Party (NRP).

He revealed that the National Reconciliation Party, NRP has told him that they will be on the ground to support him.

Ask whether the United Democratic Party (UDP), is supporting his candidature or will be contesting the seat. He told this  reporter that UDP recently toured Wuli East, but up to the time of  this interview there was no candidate named  by the UDP, however, he said  there is still time for  any party that have interest in the seat to put forward a candidate.

“My platform for   Wuli East is development for all. Youth empowerment and the development of roads is my first priority,” he said, adding that the feeder road from Basse to Wuli East is in a poor condition.

He called on the electorate in Wuli East to vote for him on April 28, 2011. The NADD candidate Suwaibou Touray is a native of Sutukoba Village in Wuli East. He had previously contested for the seat in 2007 but lost to the late Mr. Bekai Camara.  

In the same vein, the ruling APRC have identified Mr. Saidou Sabally, a native of Passamas Fula Kunda as the party’s candidate for the Wuli East by-election.

The former National Assembly Member for Wuli East Constituency Bekai Camara died on Sunday March 6, 2011, at the Intensive Care Unit at the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital (RVTH) in Banjul.

The decease was laid-in-state on Monday before his colleagues at National Assembly Building in Banjul, the Vice President, Cabinet Minister, a host of Senior Government officials and sympathizers were present to pay their last respect to their fallen colleague.