By Haddy Touray
The Secretary General and Party Leader of the United Democratic Party (UDP), Lawyer A.N.M. Ousainou Darboe, has called for strict compliance with electoral laws, stressing that credible elections begin with a transparent voter registration process.
In an interview with journalists, Darboe urged the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to thoroughly verify all voter registrants and ensure full compliance with the law.
“I hope a situation will not arise that compels any party, whether UDP or another, to take matters to court,” he said, noting that adherence to procedures would prevent legal disputes.
Darboe emphasized that all electoral processes should follow both the spirit and the letter of the law. “We would expect that everything would be done according to the spirit and letter of the law. That is what we expect,” he said.
He described his advice to the IEC as unsolicited but necessary, given the central role of voter registration in ensuring electoral credibility. “Let us ensure the integrity of the elections, and the integrity commences with registration. If the registration is good, then the elections are good,” he added.
The UDP leader cautioned the IEC against treating possession of a national identity card as conclusive proof of citizenship, describing it only as preliminary evidence. “The mere fact that a man comes with a national identity card should not itself be conclusive. It may just constitute prima facie evidence of his citizenship. It cannot be conclusive,” he said, adding that suspicious claimants should be properly interrogated.
Responding to calls for his retirement following the withdrawal of political veterans Halifa Sallah and Sidia Jatta, Darboe dismissed such suggestions. “Those two gentlemen have been in politics for more than 40 years. I will decide when the time is right. I am not going to listen to those critics,” he said, underlining that his political future is his own decision.