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Let’s heed the advice of the Police

Nov 30, 2016, 9:46 AM

All have been abundantly informed and advised to cherish peace and shun violence, or any semblance of it, for the nation to see through a peaceful electoral process tomorrow, December 1, as we go to the polls to vote for a president to steer the affairs of this country.

The latest advice, in addition to the call for peace and law and order in the country, has again come from the Gambia Police Force, which “wishes to advise the general public to proceed on their legal businesses upon casting their votes, and avoid loitering or grouping around polling stations”.

This indeed is in place to ensure that peace, law and order prevail in this country. We are all kith and kin and we will always remain so, but elections come and go; so let’s preserve peace and avoid anything that will create chaos and turmoil in our midst.

We should endeavour to heed the advice of the police as loitering or grouping around polling stations may lead to unforeseen circumstances and clashes.

All we have to do is to go peacefully and secretly cast our votes for the candidates of our choice, and return home to wait for the results.

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) and our party representatives, as well as election observers would be capable enough to oversee the voting and counting process of the ballot.

Another good development worthy of note in this presidential election campaign is the fact that the IEC ensured that all political parties or standard bearers are given equal time and opportunities to campaign across the country and via the state media without hindrance or bias.

The state TV and radio stations of GRTS have also been applying themselves professionally, especially in their covering and reporting of the campaign trails of all political parties and presidential aspirants in the election.

The IEC and, indeed, GRTS have gone the extra-mile to observe the UN and AU recommendations of giving equal space and time to all presidential candidates and their parties in the run up to the December 1 polls, which is tomorrow.

So we say well done to the IEC and GRTS, and hope this trend continues in all electoral processes of this country.

We would also like to commend the IEC for doing on-the-spot counting for the first time in elections in The Gambia.

  “Let's cherish peace and law and order.”

The Point