By Concerned Citizen
Africa-Press – Gambia. Listening to Talib Bensouda’s statement withdrawing from the UDP flag bearer race and all he said, I couldn’t stop scratching my head. So, hat on the table, I started to deconstruct everything I heard him say to his thousands of supporters. Below is my understanding of it and some commentary based on those premises.
Talib took us through a memory lane about his statement regarding Darboe’s candidature. To me, the internal democracies of our political parties are almost a non-event. When Talib took it upon himself to address Gambians about the virtues of politics, my curiosity forced me to listen to the interviews of the other candidates.
Two people stood out: Amadou Sanneh and Borry Touray, with Touray stealing the show. He talked about our broken systems and issues pertinent to Gambians and offered solutions to fix the problems. His interview had depth, and it wasn’t just political rhetoric. So it begs the question, why has the UDP and Mr Darboe not pushed these guys to the forefront? They came across as more knowledgeable about the current political situation in The Gambia and, thus, more experienced than Talib. Is the alleged financial might behind Talib the reason why he has been put on a pedestal by the UDP?
It’s time we discussed the politics of deep pockets and what is wrong in our society. The UDP rolled out the red carpet for Talib in the 2021 elections. Talib’s image was trending alongside Mr Daboe. It was alleged that he was doing what he wanted unchecked and promoting himself more than the flag bearer under the guise of being the National Organising Secretary.
UDP gave Talib a platform, which he exploited to his own advantage, and used the position to launch his nationwide campaign. I binge on UDP TV media on YouTube (I spent Saturday night doing just that). Watch it if you doubt my conclusion. During the 2021 election campaign, many UDP members were posturing and marketing themselves. UDP had too many aspirants and pseudo-flag bearers. Talib was knee deep in the melee. It is alleged that because Talib was “paying”, he will not send anything for vetting, his team will bypass the communications team or copy them in their circulation. His authority was not challenged; no one dared to. He and his team allegedly trampled on many toes, yet no one will bat an eyelid because of the deep pocket syndrome.
Still scratching my head and trying to desperately understand where Talib was when Mr Daboe said in his interview with Peter Gomez on Coffee Time that he would throw his hat in the ring for the flagbearership. Where was his team, or are they sleeping on the job, when Mr Darbo cited his bereavement as one of the reasons why his application was delayed? Let’s peel the layers of this onion. If the “ wah wahett” accusation wasn’t trending, will Talib backtrack? Listening to Talib, I concluded that in trying to avoid “wah wahett”, he approached Mr Darboe to ask the old man to withdraw.
Remember, the holder of the “wah wahett” trophy is our guy at “Stay House.” Talib, if you wanted to withdraw because Darboe has applied, you did not have to drag it up to the interview stage. You could meet Mr Darboe to tell him you could win the 2026 elections.
Now, humour me. What if Mr Darbo accepted your proposal? Are you expecting all the others to withdraw from the race? Wow! How entitled!
The politics of deep pockets is dangerous. Can I also confidently state the following: the notion that you are confident that you can win in 2026 is a fallacy. Neither Talib nor Mr Daboe can win in 2026 with our current electoral register.
That’s a topic for another day. Back to the issue, the bit that still has my jaw on the floor is not your immediate resignation as National Organising Secretary but the excuses you gave for it. So I scratch my head again and ask who is advising Talib Ahmed Bensouda? Who is in your inner circle? Why would they allow you to throw your toys out of the pram in the manner that you did? Hmmm! Deep pockets !!
Today, before our eyes, Talib showed us that he has no respect for the internal processes of the UDP, the party that made him, that he has made up his mind that Mr Darboe will be the flag bearer even while the process is ongoing. He was willing to ask Mr Darboe to withdraw his candidature, and he would be selected just like that. Is the process not one of consensus-building? If you are eager to do this, just become a candidate. I wonder what will be done once you are in the “Stay house”.
One also asks if Talib is saying that his fellow UDP members contesting are not worthy of his support and services as National Organising Secretary. The self-entitlement that I was seeing and listening to reminded me of tantrums thrown by spoiled kids denied cookies who, in the process of a meltdown, damaged their toys in retaliation.
To whom much is given, much is expected. Talib is saying the following: if you don’t make it possible for me, I’m walking away with my deep pockets, and as for the other contestants (who did not even get a mention), if they think I will work for them, they are living in cloud Coo Coo land. I will not stoop down for any one of them.
So I asked whether Talib believed in the UDP as a party or if Talib was using UDP as a platform to ascend to the presidency.
To UDP, by all means, roll out your red carpets for well-meaning Gambians to join your party, but please do us all a favour and stop rolling out the red carpet for deep pockets. We get easily distracted, which can be costly for non-card-carrying Gambians.
I saw the same treatment of sidelining other humble supporters during the 2021 campaign. The Late Tuku Jallow was sidelined in favour of Oley Dibba Wadda and Jainaba Bah. When it was dangerous, unfashionable, and almost suicidal, the Late Tuku was alongside Mr Darboe at his first nomination, while some were drafting a decreases for Jammeh.
UDP should stop the inferiority complex.
Now to my fellow Gambians as we watched the saga unfold let us not easily get distracted myself included. A lot of energy will be devoted to this “internal democratic process” let’s not lose sight of the bigger picture. Neither Talib nor ANM Darboe will win the elections come 2026, with all the alleged non-Gambians holding voters’ cards validated by the digital registration of births post 2021 elections. At least we forget we were distracted by the Bob Keita case, whilst this happened right under our noses.
All indications are that our current president will be returned to “stay house” by others who have a choice and chance to elect their leaders and elect us as well. My fellow Gambians, that is the clear and present danger we face, but, like I said, we are easily distracted; some of us jump from one non-issue to another as if they are about to go out of fashion. So now what will we do before another issue blinds us? No amount of chest beating, “fang importance”, huge support base will make a dent in the margin that Adama Barrow registered in 2021. What are we going to do? This idea might be our next distraction. It can gain traction and benefit the nation’s interest and our collective good.
I commend Talib for asking us Gambians to adjust our moral compasses. Politics should not be a game of dishing out expletives, and I totally agree. Please remind your cousin or family member on social media.
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