AG clarifies IEC chairman’s term

Minister A. Jallow was speaking with Peter Gomez of West Coast Radio during ‘Coffee Time’ as he attempted to clarify a comment made by a foreign based Gambian-human right activist, Pa Samba Jaw in which he (Jaw) claimed that the IEC Chairman’s term of office had ended since 7 April 2023.

“The record of what Pa Samba Jaw has said is contrary to our record at the Justice Ministry. Mr. Jaw usually reaches out to me and I’ve seen what evidence he has and we will compare it with what we have on record,” Justice Minister Dawda A. Jallow said.

He added that he always discusses issues of national interest with Mr. Jaw whenever he’s in the country and visits his office, while commending him for that.

“Mr. Jaw might be an activist and he is very progressive in the way he does his activism.”
However, AG disagrees with Mr. Jaw on this matter, saying their record shows that the current chairman of the IEC was first appointed in 2006 and had a short spell during the former president Yahya Jammeh regime.

“Chairman Njie was reappointed in 2011 for a seven-year term which according to Mr. Jaw expired in 2018. Chairman Njie got another extension and if the term is seven years, then that extension is due to expire in 2025.”

Meanwhile, he called on Mr. Jaw to bring his evidence forward so that they could compare it with what they have in their records, adding that their records show that Chairman Njie’s term is due in two years.