Lower Saloum electorate have spoken through the ballot

The people of Lower of Saloum have spoken and have spoken loudly by making their choice of whom they want to represent them at the National Assembly.

The opposition NRP defeated the ruling APRC party in the Lower Saloum constituency by-election last Thursday by 1146 votes.

It is worth recalling that in 2012 the APRC defeated the NRP by 2160 votes.

Following our editorial last Thursday in which we called for free, fair and peaceful election that would deliver credible result, it can now be said that has been achieved after the pronouncement of the chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), as Hamat Bah, leader of NRP and Yankuba Colley, APRC National mobiliser, all agreed in their pronouncements that the by-election was free, fair and credible.

Hamat Bah had made it very clear that none of his party supporters was either humiliated or harassed in the Lower Saloum by-electoral process and on voting day.

We would like to commend the security forces for a job well done, for maintaining peace and stability in the election process.

We are hoping that the Lower Saloum experience will be replicated in the whole of The Gambia, come the 2016 election.

This paper will continue to preach free and fair election at all times. Free and fair election will improve the country’s image, both at home and abroad.

It is, therefore, incumbent on the government in power, the ruling APRC party and the opposition parties to engage in dialogue in ensuring that political activities before, during and after the 2016 election are free, fair and peaceful.

We commend the state media GRTS for their professionalism, and the improving manner in which they reported the by-election process in Lower Saloum.

As requested by the constitution they should always promote divergent views.

We call on our colleagues in the media fraternity to do everything possible to be always reporting in an objective and professional manner, political activities in the country.

We commend the IEC and the election stakeholders for their efforts that delivered a peaceful outcome of the by-election for the country, which shows that democracy is prevailing in The Gambia, where the people’s choice is respected such that the opposition can emerge victorious over the ruling APRC party.

Good wishes and good luck to Modou Bamba Gaye and his party the NRP as they assume the Lower Saloum seat after a hard-fought battle.

All are, therefore, looking at Mr Gaye to live up to expectations to make good his promise made during the by-election campaign to the people of Lower Saloum.

The National mobiliser of the APRC, Yankuba Colley, and the APRC leadership should be commended for accepting defeat, expressing this clearly via the State TV.

They are, therefore, left with the option of analysing what went wrong in their camp and what to do next.

However, in politics, as it is in sport, there must be a winner and a loser. In life you cannot always win, you cannot always be defeated: it is the rule of the game.

“In life you cannot always win, you cannot always be defeated: it is the rule of the game.”
The Point