Halifa Sallah (born 1953) is a Gambian politician who is currently a member of the National Assembly representing Serekunda, and the secretary-general of the People's Democratic Organisation for Independence and Socialism (PDOIS). He served as a spokesman and advisor to President Adama Barrow from during the 2016 presidential election campaign until March 2017. Sallah co-founded PDOIS in 1986, and was elected as its secretary-general in 1987. He has been a major contributor to Foroyaa, the party's newspaper. He contested elections for the House of Representatives in 1987 and 1992, and was an opposer of the Yahya Jammeh regime. He stood unsuccessfully for the National Assembly in 1997, but was elected in 2002, serving until 2007. During that time, he also served as Minority Leader. Sallah has also served in the Pan-African Parliament, and was the National Alliance for Democracy and Development (NADD)'s candidate for president in the 2006 presidential election, coming third with 6% of the vote. Early life Sallah was born and raised in Serekunda, the Gambia, and was educated in the United States, graduating with a degree in sociology. He returned to the Gambia in 1977 and worked as a social worker in the Social Welfare Department. Political career Jawara era and post-coup After returning from the United States in the late 1970s, Sallah became involved with the People's Movement for Independence against Neo-Colonialism and Capitalism (PMINCC). It is also believed that he was one of the editors of The Voice of the Future newspaper. Along with other PMINCC members, he was arrested in October 1983 and went on trial in 1984 for his involvement in distributing The Voice. He was acquitted but lost his job as a result of the trial. In 1986, Sallah was one of the founders of the People's Democratic Organisation for Independence and Socialism (PDOIS). He was elected as its secretary-general in August 1987. He also became a major contributor to its newspaper, Foroyaa, which he co-edited with Sidia Jatta. Sallah contested the Serekunda East constituency in the 1987 and 1992 elections for the House of Representatives, but only won around 10% of the vote. Following Yahya Jammeh's coup in 1994, Sallah and other PDOIS leaders adopted a principled stance in response, with Sallah and Jatta both turning down offers to join the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council. Both men were detained in August 1994 for publishing an edition of foroyya despite the