IEC Vice Chairperson Cherno Jallow said the Commission is mindful of concerns raised over delays experienced in past elections and is determined to ensure such challenges do not recur.
“We are diligently working towards enhancing the delay of the declaration of the results, and we are looking at even the possibility of digitalising the process,” Jallow stated.
He explained that the IEC has been engaging political parties and stakeholders through various forums and will continue consultations to strengthen confidence in the electoral process.
Jallow urged political parties and stakeholders to act responsibly, particularly in how they communicate election-related information, stressing that the Commission will operate strictly within the law to guarantee peaceful, credible, inclusive, and transparent elections.
On the issue of parallel vote tabulation, Jallow clarified that while parties are free to conduct their own tallying, they do not have the legal authority to declare official results. He emphasised that the responsibility to declare final election results rests solely with the IEC, with the Chairman serving as the returning officer for presidential elections.
He further cautioned political parties to ensure that any results they release are communicated in ways that do not fuel tension, disorder, or violence.
“The IEC remains the institution legally mandated to declare the final results of elections,” Jallow reiterated.
