By Kebba Ansu Manneh
Alieu Momar Njie, Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has assured all Gambian electorates, political parties and all stakeholders of a very free, transparent and credible election, adding that Gambia is not a second fiddle to any country in the world in terms of organising free, fair and transparent election.
The Chief of Gambia’s electoral commission made this remarks yesterday, Wednesday, at the Election House located at Berthil Harding Highway, Kanifing where he briefed election observers and journalists ahead of the Presidential election slated for Saturday 4th December, 2021.
“I would like to assure the electorates, political parties and the candidates and all other stakeholders that we (IEC) are committed to organising a free, fair and, transparent election comes 4th December and beyond,” IEC Chairman, Alieu Momar Njie, assured all Gambians of a credible election.
“Our system is so transparent; I can say that we are not behind any country in the world in conducting free, transparent and credible election. Every aspect of the election process is observed by party agents, starting from the registration of voters when all parties and candidates are asked to send their agents to witness everything from beginning to end,” Chairman Njie affirmed.
According to him, IEC has pasted names of all the electorates who registered in a bid to open doors who may want to scrutinise the registration of illegible voters, adding that out of the nine hundred and sixty thousand registered electorates there was no single objection depicting that the registration of voters was 100 percent approved.
IEC Chairman continued to encourage all parties’ agents to witness all aspects of the election from the opening of the ballot boxes, sealing of ballot boxes with serial numbers to the counting of the results. Noting that all party agents will be handed with the copy of voter registration sheets bearing all the names designated for that polling station.
He disclosed that after end of the election the party agents are expected to witness the counting of the results on spot and handed with the election result of their respective polling stations. Adding that, this process is to ensure that the election is conducted transparently, freely and fairly.
“There are six contestants but only one will win and the losers should know that they (electorates) have not vote for them that’s why they lose, as everything will be done in the eyes of their agents, so nobody will blame the IEC and nobody will blame us (officials),” Chairman Njie explained to contestants.
He added that “Gambia is a peaceful country we all know that and once you lose accept it because they (electorates) have voted more for the winner than yourself.” IEC Chief submitted to Election Observers and Journalists at a presser.
