I am a die-hard PDOIS supporter though I do not publicly show out my political affiliation due to the nature of my work. My heart is heavy and I wanted to share this piece.

It hurts me that the love and respect for Halifa are never translated into votes. Unfortunately, this happens in every election. The excuse people give is that "he can't win". I believe it is votes that make people win. So if every voter says so how do they expect Halifa to win?

This excuse is exactly the same excuse used during this election. Many would tell you they know he is the best candidate but since he can't win they would rather vote NPP to prevent a UDP victory.

The most hurtful part was Halifa even lost in his constituency and Banjul where he was expected to perform better at least. I am proud to have cast my vote for him and would do it again if I had to.

I cried watching the video where he said he would retire from politics after this election because I know The Gambia will miss a dignified, patriotic and consistent politician in the person of Halifa.

I would like to suggest to the PDOIS supporters to appeal to Halifa not to hang his political boots entirely, even if he won't be contesting as a presidential candidate.

We still need him in Parliament to serve as a voice of reason and for the country's interest, putting the majority in check. I would like to see the Barrow government bring them on board to help in nation-building.

Having Halifa as a Speaker of the National Assembly would be great if he is not gonna contest for NAM in his constituency. Sidia Jatta can also be of great asset to the Barrow government, either to serve as Foreign Affairs minister given his linguistic prowess or as an Adviser to the President.

On a final note, I would like to extend my gratitude to Halifa for his selfless service to the nation. He will always be in our history books as the President The Gambia never had.

Thank you Halifa Ababacarr Sallah. The struggle for System Change continues.

From a PDOIS supporter