By Mustapha Ceesay
Essa Njie, University of the Gambia Political Science lecturer said the progress of the Citizens’ Alliance (CA) – National People’s Party (NPP) alliance would depend on how much political capital (political benefits or influence) CA would be able to bring for the incumbent in the 2023 local government elections.
“So, this will all depend on whether they (CA) will be able to bring political capital to the incumbent, but if they are not able to bring political capital to the President, I think that marriage of convenience will just collapse,” he predicted.
The UTG lecturer added that the partnership might lead to Barrow extending ‘political patronage’ to CA, if it positively influences the outcome of the local government elections for him.
“…The future of this partnership would depend on the outcome of the (2023) local government elections, which is the point of the marriage, which is the very reason for them forming this alliance, according to them (CA and NPP). If for instance, they (CA) are able to perform well in the local government elections, well, it could be good for them in terms of being compensated politically, Barrow extending political patronage to them, as we have seen in the 2021 presidential election,” he said.
If the alliance goes successful in the next year’s council elections, Njie is expecting a similar political compensation to be extended to CA , as in the case of political parties deemed to have assisted the incumbent in winning the 2021 presidential election.
“Those that were able to bring the political capital to the President. (Those that) he deemed that brought political capital to them (NPP), like the APRC, they are able to have their compensation in the government. But those who endorsed the President, and (he) felt that they didn’t bring any political capital to him, like the independent aspirants, he did not give them any positions. So, we are expecting the same. I am expecting the same in terms of CA-NPP partnership. It depends on what they are able to offer. What political capital they are able to bring, come 2023 local government elections. If they are able to bring any political capital to the President, I think the partnership could continue. But if they are not able to bring any political capital to him, then there will be a problem,” Essa expressed.
The outspoken Kiang-origin doubts if the partnership is genuine, or it is a matter of ‘cross carpeting’ to the ruling party, by leaders of Dr. Ismaila Ceesay led-opposition party.
“I think for me one has to get this clear, whether this is in fact, a partnership, or it’s a matter of CA leaders or executive (members) cross-carpeting to NPP, trying to massage the wording, or the statement to say it’s a partnership and not cross carpeting…,” he earlier said.
The political analyst on Monday told this medium that he expected the alliance, and said there were ‘signs’ signalling a sort of a ‘marriage of convenience’ between the 2 parties.
Others, including the National Youth President of the Gambia Democratic Congress, MC Cham Jr. have spoken against the alliance between the opposition CA and ruling party NPP.
MC Cham Jr. has expressed his “fervent disappointment” over the recent partnership by the National People’s Party (NPP) and Citizens’ Alliance (CA).
However,the CA leadership, Dr. Ismaila Ceesay has insisted that the partnership between his party and the National People’s Party (NPP) is for the “best interest” of The Gambia.