One account of the rumour mill has it that there has emerged a disagreement among the panelists over their recommendations, making it impossible for the NC to present it as it is still unsigned.
Another account suggested that the vetting committee’s findings did not find sufficient grounds to disqualify any of the candidates, much to the disappointment of the Normalization Committee, who is now brooding over what course of action to take, hence the delay in the announcement.
The Point has over the weekend tried to verify both accounts, but since even the panelists are not publicly known it was impossible to get first-hand information from them, leaving only the Normalization Committee as the clarifying body.
Confronted with these speculations, the NC’s spokesman and vice chairman Omar Sey admitted the NC could not meet its promised date to unveil he findings, but categorically rejected that it waseven remotely caused by what is being suggested by the rumours.
“On the contrary, the panel has completed their work but it is just that there are some technicalities that are been worked out such as the timing etc. We as the NC are satisfied by the panels’ work, but we feel that it is not quite ready to present it as promised last week,’ Sey stated.
Asked when the country will know the findings, Mr Sey said this time he would not commit himself to a definite day and time.‘I want to wait until when I could say, Mr Cham; come for the report,’’ he said.
Meanwhile, the NC recently called a meeting of regional football associations attended by all regions, except KMC.
According to sources from the attendees, the NC has asked them, among other things, to send in the names of the three delegates to represent them at the congress, which they said has never been the case.
‘We wonder why our voters should be known earlier than the voting day,’’ they queried.
Contacted to shed light on that, Omar Sey admitted there has been a meeting with the regional associations, and the topic was to keep them abreast with the election process.
On why the unusual request for them to submit the names of their voters before hand, Mr Sey said far from the picture being painted by the speculations, the meeting was an important meeting in that it enabled the regions to suggest names of nominees for the other executive positions on the committee.
‘And also, the electors of the regions and the clubs shall naturally be known so that candidates would know where and who to woo for votes. How can somebody campaign if you do not know who the voters are’’ he said.
On why KMC has not been invited, Mr Sey said until and unless the KMC agreed to the formula ascribed by the interim committee installed by NC to conduct another congress there, the KMC is not recognized by the NC.
Asked if that would not disenfranchise such a big player like KMC in Gambian football, Mr. Sey saidthe KMC needs to conform or be left out of the process.
‘They are not bigger than the whole country, but as I speak, I’m getting hints that they are considering working on a compromise,’’ he concluded.
Meanwhile, as we went to press, news filtered from Basse that the regional football election which controversially elected Furu Gomez as chairman last month, has been redone, and the new chairman is one Abubakar Krubally.
Contacted to confirm this, NC spokesman Omar Sey said though he has not been officially communicated to on that, it could still be possible.
‘There has been talk of a possible rerun all these days, so it could well be the case,’ he said.
