By Muhammed Lamin Drammeh
In a showdown that has rocked Gambia’s women’s football Association election, Adama Jarju’s Team Tahawal Women Football has challenged the re-election of Sainabou Cham as President of the Gambia Women’s Football Association (WFA) on May 24, 2025, alleging constitutional violations and electoral misconduct, and has submitted a petition to the National Assembly Select Committee on Sports to cancel Cham’s unopposed victory, thereby igniting a fierce battle for transparency and justice that threatens the future of women’s football in Gambia.
Roots of the Controversy
The conflict began at a failed congress on May 10, 2025, when Team Tahawal, led by Adama Jarju, raised alarms over the electoral process, alleging “systemic failures.” Their petition, submitted on May 25 and signed by Jarju, Secretary General Assan Jatta, and 1st Vice President Alpha Badjie, Esq., outlines serious breaches of the WFA Constitution and the Gambia Football Federation (GFF) Electoral Code, prompting their refusal to participate in the May 24 congress.
Team Tahawal’s Allegations
On election day, Jarju, Team Tahawal’s presidential candidate, withdrew after completing the nomination process, citing “constitutional malpractice.” This left incumbent Sainabou Cham to secure victory unopposed. The petition details several violations that, according to Team Tahawal, undermined the election’s legitimacy.
The electoral committee was allegedly formed in violation of Article 29.2 of the WFA Constitution, which mandates that “Elections shall be conducted by an electoral committee which shall be elected by the General Assembly in the AGM before the elective congress in compliance with the GFF Electoral Code.” Instead, stakeholders were compelled to vote on the committee’s approval during the May 10 congress, a process that failed to meet the required two-thirds majority under Article 30.4, which states: “A proposal for an amendment to the Statutes shall be adopted only if two-thirds of the members present and eligible to vote agree to it.” With 43 eligible voters, at least 29 votes were needed, but the vote resulted in only 25 in favour and 13 against, rendering the committee’s appointment “unconstitutional and invalid,” the petition argues.
The petition further alleges that the Upper River Region Football Association (URRFA) was allowed to vote despite a High Court injunction barring their participation due to unresolved legal issues. Team Tahawal called this a “direct affront to the rule of law,” noting that URRFA lacks active women’s football programs and a legitimate executive body, as its leadership’s term had expired without a valid congress.
Additionally, unauthorised voters, including regional presidents who serve on the GFF Executive Committee, allegedly cast ballots, violating Articles 22.3 and 22.4 of the WFA Constitution. These articles restrict voting to authorised delegates from the 10 First Division clubs, 12 Second Division clubs, and seven Regional Women’s Football Committees, as outlined in Article 11.1. The petition claims these presidents, who are not members of the Regional Women’s Football Committees, voted to support Cham, their GFF colleague, and that “bona fide members of the Regional Women’s Football Committee were side-lined,” with some regions bringing more than the allowed three delegates to “stack the vote.” A specific example cited is the Women’s Football Coordinator of CRRFA, who was barred from attending by her Regional President.
The petition also points to violations of the GFF Electoral Code, which governs WFA elections as an allied association. Article 4 requires the electoral committee to be elected at least six months before the congress, a rule ignored in this case. Furthermore, no Election Appeals Committee was established, as mandated by Article 12, leaving no mechanism for addressing grievances. The petition highlights concerns raised by Mary Decker, the electoral committee’s vice chair, who warned of a “series of constitutional violations” that would “seriously undermine her integrity” if she presided over the election. Despite her objections and a request to “clear her head,” Ba S. Jabbie, another committee member, “unilaterally took it upon himself” to proceed, an action Team Tahawal deems “against the doctrines of natural justice and fair play.”
The petition also questions the committee’s composition, noting that it originally included Mr. Jawla of the National Sports Council (NSC) as chair, alongside Decker and Jabbie. Team Tahawal requested Jawla’s recusal due to his role as NSC Executive Director, but no replacement was appointed, leaving Decker and Jabbie to oversee the process.
Ba S. Jabbie’s Defence
In an interview with The Fatu Network, Ba S. Jabbie dismissed the allegations as “false and misleading.” He insisted he lacked the authority to subvert the constitution, emphasising his role as an impartial overseer unaffiliated with the GFF or WFA. Jabbie recounted arriving at the May 10 Annual General Meeting (AGM) to find a heated debate over the electoral committee’s legality. A vote, he said, mandated the committee to dissolve the executive and set a new election date for May 24. Both camps, including Jarju’s, participated in the nomination process, and all but one club confirmed the new date. Jabbie argued that Jarju’s withdrawal on election day left the committee no choice but to proceed, stating, “I cannot preside over an election as a single person.”
Mary Decker’s Reservations
Mary Decker, the electoral committee’s vice chair, expressed caution on election day, as reported by other journalists. “I am not here to butcher any constitution,” she declared, emphasising her role was to conduct the election, not interpret rules. Citing a “series of constitutional violations,” Decker voiced reluctance to proceed and requested time to “clear her head,” highlighting her concerns about the process’s integrity.
Team Tahawal’s Demands
Team Tahawal’s petition calls for urgent action from the National Assembly Select Committee on Sports, demanding the “immediate nullification of the election results,” an independent audit by a neutral body, fresh elections under strict constitutional and electoral code compliance, and the suspension of officials responsible for the irregularities. “The credibility and future of women’s football depend on lawful, transparent, and accountable leadership,” the petition states, urging the Committee to address the matter with the urgency it deserves.
The National Assembly Select Committee on Sports has yet to respond, but the outcome of this petition will significantly shape the future of women’s football in Gambia.
