By Amara Thoronka
Chief Electoral Officer of Gambia’s Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), Sambujang Njie has told political parties, civil society organizations and the media that the issue of marbles not entering the holes of some ballot drums, which was reported in few polling stations during the December 4 Presidential Election, was not something intended by the Commission.
“Marbles not entering ballot drums was not the intention of the IEC. The issue were isolated cases and that might have been caused by the continuous painting of drums over the years, but the IEC was able to swiftly address the issue by instructing the polling officials to slightly open the holes of the drums with a plier which we gave them.”
He made the statement at a one-day consultative forum with political parties, civil society organizations and the media on Thursday 27 January at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Conference Center, in preparation for the forthcoming National Assembly Elections scheduled for 9 April 2022.
Speaking on some party agents refusing to sign the result forms, Mr. Njie said party agents never gave any reason why they refused signing the results, but however added that the refusal by some parties to sign did not render the results legally invalid.
“Parties not signing results does not make the results invalid. Some of the party agents that didn’t sign never gave any reason for their decision. We don’t have the mandate to force someone to sign, and that does not legally prevent us from announcing the results”
He confirmed that the National Assembly Elections will be held on 9 April 2022, and that the Commission is prepared to conduct the said elections with fairness and credibility.
IEC’s chief executive officer noted that notice of election, returning officers, polling, counting and collation centers, for the next assembly elections, was gazetted on 20 January 2022.
He added that advertisement for the 9 April assembly election began on 17 January and is still ongoing until 30 January 2022, advising eligible Gambians to apply.
Mr. Njie disclosed that nomination forms for the assembly election will be issued on 4 February 2022 in all regional offices, adding that the nomination exercise will be conducted from 5-13 March 2022, advising intended candidates to engage the Commission on nomination issues they don’t understand as a way of preventing disqualification by the IEC.
He further disclosed that political parties and candidates will be supplied soft copy of the voter register from 14-16 March 2022.
Mr. Njie confirmed that campaigns are scheduled to take place from 17 March to 7 April in all constituencies.
The chief electoral officer of IEC said candidates who want to withdraw their candidature has until 2 April to do so, as no withdrawal of candidature will be accepted after the said date.
