The Gambia Moral Congress, the Citizens’ Alliance and All People’s Alliance have so far failed to reach an agreement on a common presidential candidate to lead their recently formed ‘Alliance for Change 2021, said Mai Ahmad Fatty on Monday.

Fatty, a lawyer and key member of the coalition 2016—a 7-party political grouping that backed President Adama Barrow to power— has filed his nomination papers on Monday afternoon.

Last week, the Citizens’ Alliance (CA), All People’s Party (APP), the National Unity Party (NUP), the Gambia Moral Congress (GMC) and Gambia For All (GFA) party have called a meeting to signed an alliance agreement. However, GFA and NUP later quit the alliance, leaving a coalition of 3 that signed the agreement.

But Fatty told journalists that the coalition could not select a flag-bearer and therefore he files in his nomination on behalf of his party.

“What is important today is the renewal of our hopes for our country. Eleven political parties started discussions… It took nine grueling weeks to reach a consensus. We have some form of memorandum of understanding, but the time is too tight for us to proceed with selecting a flag-bearer pursuant to the implementation of the MoU,” said Fatty.

“So therefore, the talks will continue. Our doors remain open in regard to that. What I understand is that today I am nominated as a candidate for the Gambia Moral Congress for the election of the President of the Gambia 2021.”

Dr Ismaila Ceesay—the leader of the Citizens’ Alliance who is expected at the election house for nomination on Tuesday— confirmed to Malagen they are yet to reach an agreement on the flagbearer for the coalition.

Dr Ceesay said talks are continuing for a party-led model and candidates of parties in the alliance who have been nominated can withdraw should they reach an agreement before November 26.

Meanwhile, Fatty criticized the Barrow administration for poor performance, especially in health service delivery, urging voters to vote for him for transformative leadership.

“There are too many deaths, too many robberies, too many attacks… And I will make sure security institutions have what they deserved to protect our people in the streets, in the market, our children on the way to school, in our homes against criminals,” said Fatty who has been Barrow’s interior minister for a short period.

Fatty has served as an Interior Minister in 2017 and appointed again as an adviser to President Barrow. He would resign from that position. He has been the leader of the Gambia Moral Congress since 2009.