The
Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) on Saturday accepted the nomination
papers of candidates of the People’s Democratic Organisation for Independence
and Socialism (PDOIS) political party, for the 6th April National Assembly
elections.
The
candidates for the party in the Kanifing Municipality are: Amie Sillah for
Bundungka Kunda constituency, Amad Janha, Latrikunda Sabiji constituency,
Matarr Ceesay, SerreKunda West constituency, and Halifa Sallah, secretary
general of the party, for Serekunda constituency.
Their
candidacy in the forthcoming National Assembly election was approved by the IEC
regional office in Kanifing. The
candidates were accompanied to the IEC regional office by supporters drumming,
singing and dancing.
Speaking
to journalists after the IEC’s endorsement of their nomination papers, PDOIS
secretary general Halifa Sallah said: “Some days ago, a bill was taken to the
National Assembly and passed, but after I wrote that it was unconstitutional
the Attorney General came out and confirmed that it was unconstitutional.
“Knowledge
is not based on age; capacity is not based on age, so if young people want to
take charge of their destiny they have to seek the type of knowledge that is
essential to take charge of their time.
It is the duty of the young now to begin that process.
“For
me, the National Assembly at this very moment is a place I am destined to
because it has been an institution which has been abused, transforming into a
rubberstamp institution enabling others to take charge of the destiny of the
people and transform our liberty and prosperity into a causality.
“Our
duty now is to go back to that National Assembly, and build it up so they can
serve as an oversight institution that will ensure that laws that will guide
our liberty will be established, and policies that will ensure our prosperities
will be elaborated. It is our duty to
ensure that.”
Asked
what he would do differently if elected to the parliament, Mr Sallah said: “It
is not about doing something differently, it is doing what should be done. We are going there now to build it up,
because we saw the way the previous government was running and we said there
was absolutism of power; there was self-perpetuating rule. We decided to confront the self-perpetuating
rule collectively by putting our party interest behind so that we change the
government, and we succeeded.”
Amie
Sillah, a prominent women’s rights activist and journalist, said her main
priority is to be a true representative of the people: to be their eyes, ears,
mouth, and everything.
She
said as an activist, her line of policy argument at the parliament, if elected,
is not going to be based on partisan issues. She said there is a need for more
women role models and mentors to come in to the parliament, so that gradually
the number of women parliamentarians can increase.
“When
I am elected, I will ensure what the reforms that the coalition promised in
terms of quota system is materialized, so that we can have more women and then
proportional representation.
“I
don’t think I will lose this election because I contested under Jawara’s (the
first president of The Gambia) administration, though I lost my deposit, it was
very tough contest. I also contested
under Yahya Jammeh’s regime and gained my deposit, but now I am more organised.”
Matarr
Ceesay, another prospective PDOIS parliamentarian, said his constituency,
Serrekunda West, is the biggest and needs a lot of attention and, as such, it
needs a competent person like him as a representative in the parliament.
He
said if elected, his priorities would include raising the concerns of his
people at the parliament because there are so many problems relating to
socio-economic issues in the constituency.
He
also promised to ensure that laws that he would lend his support to are
gender-sensitive.
Amad
Janha, PDOIS candidate for Latrikunda Sabiji constituency, said if elected, he
would work with like-minded colleagues to rectify and modify existing laws made
under Jammeh’s regime to suit the Gambians.
He
promised to be part of those to champion media law reforms in ensuring that
journalists do their job with dignity, and no interference or intimidation.
