By: Binta Jaiteh

Gambia Action Party (GAP) Secretary General and Leader, Musa Yali Bathily has condemned recent remarks by Dr. Lamin Manneh of United Democratic Party (UDP) on election results declaration.

Dr. Manneh, UDP’s Deputy Administrative Officer for External Affairs was reported saying that they would release results of the December 2026 presidential election, if the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) delayed to announce them.

In a statement issued out, Bathily described the remarks as “deeply troubling” and called for them to be condemned in the strongest possible terms.

“The IEC is the only constitutionally-mandated body with the legal authority to declare election results in The Gambia. Any attempt by a political party to pre-empt this process undermines the credibility of our democratic institutions and threatens the peace and stability of the nation,” Bathily remarked.

The GAP leader said the announcement of parallel election results would not only be unconstitutional but could also mislead the public, incite political unrest and undermine confidence in the electoral process.

“The implications of such a reckless pronouncement are grave. It jeopardizes electoral integrity by creating confusion and delegitimizing the official process. It threatens public order by opening the door to violence and misinformation. Most importantly, it violates the rule of law, which is the cornerstone of our democracy,” he added.

Bathily called on the Gambia Police Force, the National Human Rights Commission and international organizations monitoring the electoral process to take note of the statement and ensure that no political party or individual was allowed to undermine the country’s democratic process.

He reaffirmed GAP’s commitment to peace, transparency and the rule of law and urged Gambians to remain vigilant and reject any attempt to interfere with the official electoral process.