By Alhagie Jobe
Nomination for aspiring presidential candidates in The Gambia’s upcoming December polls opens today, Monday, November 7th 2016.
Presidential hopefuls are all scheduled to submit their nomination papers and filing fees to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) along the Bertil Harding Highway according to dates earlier scheduled by the commission.
The IEC was established in accordance with Section 42 of the 1997 constitution of the Republic of The Gambia. It operates within the confines of the Electoral Laws in the Constitution (as amended) and the Local Government Act 2002 (as amended).
The Gambia Democratic Congress (GDC) of Mama Kandeh will open the nomination submission today, Monday, November 7th, 2016.
On Wednesday, November 9th, the Coalition of parties led by Adama Barrow will submit their nominations and on Thursday, 10th November, the ruling APRC party of incumbent President Yahya Jammeh will submit accordingly.
Meanwhile, each presidential candidate is required to return his or her nomination form with 10, 000 (Ten Thousand) voters and a filing fee of D500, 000 (Five Hundred Thousand Dalasi) to the Independent Electoral Commission to be accepted to contest.
The Gambia will hold presidential election on 1st December, with legislative and local polls to follow in April 2017 and April 2018. A total of 886, 578 Gambians have been registered to vote in the election as opposed to 796, 929 in the last election.
The small West African nation of less than two million people has been ruled by Yahya Jammeh since 1994 and eyeing a fifth term.
