The newly elected Secretary General of the PDOIS Party, Hon. Suwaibou Touray, has said his party is open to entering a coalition ahead of the forthcoming elections, but only on the basis of clearly defined and written agreements.

Speaking in his first major television interview on QTV’s State of Affairs programme, Touray said Gambians are increasingly calling for a united opposition, but warned that lessons from past coalitions, particularly in 2016, must not be ignored.

He explained that coalitions are often formed to address specific national crises and are not necessarily meant to last indefinitely.

According to him, political parties have different ideologies and programmes, making it important for any alliance to be carefully structured and transparent.

Touray stressed that for PDOIS to participate in a coalition, the programmes of all parties involved must be clearly captured in a formal agreement.

He added that issues such as the allocation of seats and ministerial positions should be agreed upon before elections to prevent post-election disputes and confusion.

He further argued that coalition agreements should spell out how government programmes will be implemented and establish clear procedures for appointing and removing ministers.

In his view, unilateral dismissal of coalition-appointed ministers by an incumbent president should be avoided, as such actions could destabilise a coalition government.

Asked whether PDOIS would support a joint opposition ticket if it improves the chances of winning, Touray said the primary objective of any coalition is to increase electoral success and deliver meaningful change.

He noted that an alliance that does not enhance those chances would have little value.

On the issue of candidate selection, Touray said PDOIS has not yet chosen its flag bearer.

He explained that the party selects its candidates through a primary election involving all card-carrying members, using a simple and transparent voting process across the regions.

He said once the party settles on its candidate, PDOIS would then be better positioned to engage in coalition negotiations with other political parties.

By Adama Makasuba