Tahawal
Banjul in collaboration with Team Banjul on Tuesday 7 March 2017 selected 3
candidates for Banjul South, Central and North respectively, to represent them
in the forthcoming National Assembly elections.
The
selection was made at a primary election held at the St. Mary’s Hall.
The
election was meant to ensure a level playing field for the collective good of
Banjul.
The
candidates selected during the initiative, which is the first time in the
history of Banjul, are Fatoumatta Njie-Batchilly for Banjul South, who was
unopposed, Ousman Sillah for Banjul North, who was also unopposed after his
fellow contender, Dr Pa Ousman Njie, declined.
In
the Banjul Central contest, Muhammed Ndow beat fellow aspirants Author Jackson
and Momodou B. Ceesay, securing 87 votes out of 146 votes casted by the
constituency.
Speaking
on the occasion, Dr. Alieu Gaye, chairperson for Tahawal Banjul, said the
importance of staging the primary election was that they wanted to ensure all
those from Banjul, who wanted to contest in the National Assembly election, are
on a level playing field, but also for them to select the best candidates for
the city.
“In
the coming weeks, they will listen to people’s opinion and if people welcome
the idea, then they will use the same format for the municipal election and
subsequent elections in the country.”
They
want other constituencies to emulate the initiative and, hopefully, it could be
adopted nationally to ensure free and fair elections.
Ebou
Faye, speaking on behalf of Team Banjul, said when they first conceived the
idea, it was to give Banjul an opportunity to know and select their candidates,
as well as ensure candidates selected are persons who will work in the best
interest of Banjul.
Fatoumatta
Njie-Batchilly, in pointing out her priority areas if elected to become
National Assembly member for Banjul South, said child care, women’s
empowerment, development, education, sanitation, healthcare, among others, will
be her main focus.
Ousman
Sillah promised to partake in the institutional and legal reforms, good governance,
and the introduction of a term limit, among other things.
Muhammed
Ndow promised his people that he will defend their human rights, facilitate
entrepreneurship training, as well as introduce other important development
activities for his constituency.
