On December 4, Gambians went to the poll for the first post dictatorship era to elect a leader who would steer the affairs of the country in the next five years. The incumbent, President Adama Barrow won the election by 53.2% while his main challenger, ANM Ousainu Darboe got 27.7%.
Speaking in a news conference held at PDOIS’ political bureau Monday, Hon. Halifa Abubacarr Sallah, leader and former presidential candidate for PDOIS said his party had consulted its election agents around the country about the election but do not have any substantial evidence to present before the Supreme Court to challenge the validity of the Presidential election results.
Section 49 of the Gambian Constitution states: Any registered political party which has participated in the Presidential election, or an independent candidate who has participated in such an election may apply to the Supreme Court to determine the validity of the election of a President by filing a petition within 10 days of the declaration of the results of the election.”
It could be recalled that hours before the electoral commission announced the final presidential election results, three presidential candidates namely: lawyer A.N.M. Ousainou Darboe, candidate for the United Democratic Party (UDP), Mama Kandeh, candidate for the Gambia Democratic Congress (GDC) and Essa Mbaye Faal, independent presidential candidate unanimously rejected the IEC results without presenting evidence to the public. They promised to investigate the electoral process.
However, on Monday, Essa Mbaye Faal, independent presidential candidate in a news conference changed and informed that he had earlier called President-elect Adama Barrow via telephone and congratulated him on his victory.
Faal, an international lawyer said he does not want to participate in anything that can threaten the peace and stability of the country.
Meanwhile Hon. Sallah, Presidential candidate for the socialist party called for a press conference to update the masses on PDOIS position on the election results. He said: “I wish to note, we have consulted our polling agents and we do not have any substantial evidence that we can present before the Supreme Court to challenge the validity of the presidential election. So in that regard, as a coalition, we cannot say in any way that we are going to present anything before the Supreme Court to challenge the IEC on the election.”
Shortly before announcement of the presidential election results, the Civil Society Organisation Coalition on Election made a joint press statement, reacting to the former presidential candidates’’ rejection of the election results. In the statement John Charles Njie, chairperson of TANGO described the December 4th presidential election as “free, fair and transparent.”
He said both domestic and international election observers have observed free and fair election throughout the electoral process.
In a subsequent press conference, Mar Nyang, executive director of Gambia Participate, said his organisation’s election observers delivered report that the election was “free and fair.”
