The United Democratic Party (UDP) has raised serious concerns over significant discrepancies in the figures of the recently concluded 2026 Supplementary Voter Registration exercise, calling on the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to provide complete data for reconciliation and restore public confidence in the electoral process.
In a press briefing held this afternoon, UDP Secretary General and 2026 Presidential Flag-bearer H.E. Ousainu Darboe said the party is not alleging fraud or wrongdoing but is seeking clarity to ensure the integrity of the voter register ahead of future polls.
Darboe said that before the April 2026 supplementary registration, a UDP delegation met with senior IEC officials to address lingering issues from previous exercises, particularly preventing multiple registrations. The party offered technical expertise to strengthen safeguards, but the IEC cited time constraints as a barrier to implementation.
Throughout the exercise, UDP deployed agents nationwide to monitor proceedings. Following the IEC’s public announcement at a June stakeholder forum that 212,095 Gambians had registered, the party’s IT team analyzed data provided by the Commission. They discovered a major shortfall: the dataset shared with political parties listed only 179,445 registered voters — a difference of 32,650.
After the UDP protested, the IEC admitted that registrations from 8 April had been omitted and added 3,713 names, bringing the total to 183,163. This left an unexplained gap of 28,932. The Commission then stated that 14,334 multiple registrations would be deducted, still leaving 14,598 voters unaccounted for.
On 16 July, the UDP formally wrote to the IEC demanding the full registration data before deletions, the number of duplicates removed, the final register, and complete datasets before and after adjudication. The party also requested an extension of the scrutiny period to allow adequate examination by all stakeholders.
Darboe noted that the UDP team met with the IEC earlier today and would update members on the outcome. “We are simply asking for a full reconciliation of the figures so that all political parties and the Gambian people can have confidence that the electoral register accurately reflects the outcome of the registration exercise,” he emphasized.
The UDP leader reiterated the party’s commitment to peaceful democratic participation and constructive engagement with the IEC. “This is not about politics. It is about protecting the confidence of every Gambian voter in our democratic process. Our objective is not confrontation. Our objective is confidence-building,” Darboe stated.
The development comes as The Gambia prepares for upcoming electoral activities, with transparency in voter registration remaining a critical issue for political stakeholders and citizens alike. The IEC is yet to issue a detailed public response to the UDP’s latest concerns.
