The presidential bids of National Democratic Party flagbearer Kebba Madi Bojang and Gambia Labour Party leader Bakusa Dukureh have been rejected by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).
The rejection of Kebba Madi is over discrepancies in his date of birth, while other aspiring candidate face rejection or further scrutiny over citizenship, educational qualifications and nomination signatures.
The Commission announced that Bojang’s nomination was rejected after identifying conflicting dates of birth in his educational records and identity documents.
According to the IEC, records from WAEC and the Gambia Senior Secondary School indicated his date of birth as March 15, 1995, while documents submitted to the Commission showed March 15, 1975.
The Gambia Labour Party’s aspiring candidate, Bakusa Dukureh, was also rejected after reportedly acknowledging publicly that he holds dual citizenship. His senior secondary school certificate was further found to be unauthentic following verification by the relevant examination authorities and the school.
Meanwhile, several other aspirants are still undergoing verification or have been asked to provide additional signatures from registered voters to meet nomination requirements.
Among them is the National Builders Party, whose additional signatures are being processed, while the IEC continues verification of his citizenship.
Independent aspirant Bakary K. Badjie has also submitted additional signatures from several administrative areas, which are being processed by the Commission.
Ebrima Tabora Manneh is similarly awaiting the processing of additional signatures submitted in support of his nomination.
Lamin J. Darboe, another independent aspirant, was found to have a shortage of 840 signatures nationally, while verification of his renunciation of British citizenship remains ongoing.
Independent aspirant Almameh Gibba was also found to have shortages in the required number of signatures from registered voters across several administrative areas.
Papa Secka, who has paid the required D1 million nomination deposit, was asked to submit additional signatures from various administrative areas to support his candidature.
The IEC said the nomination exercise, which commenced on November 3, will continue until November 14, 2026, as the Commission completes the examination and verification of the aspiring candidates’ submissions.
