The Independent Electoral Commission is expected to reject the presidential nomination of Coalition 2026 flagbearer Talib Ahmed Bensouda because of adverse findings against him by the Local Government Commission of Inquiry, highly placed electoral and legal sources have confirmed.
The sources, speaking on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to discuss the matter publicly, said the White Paper the government accepted establishes grounds that render Bensouda ineligible under electoral rules. They cited the commission’s findings of unauthorized expenditure, irregular approvals, abuse of office and negligence during his tenure as Mayor of the Kanifing Municipal Council as disqualifying factors.
“The IEC will not accept his nomination papers,” one senior electoral official said. “The adverse findings in the inquiry report and the government’s acceptance of them create a clear legal bar. The commission’s conclusions on financial irregularities and interference in administrative processes cannot be ignored when assessing a candidate’s fitness.”
A legal source familiar with the process added that the White Paper’s recommendations for criminal investigation, surcharge and review of fitness for public office strengthen the case for rejection.
“Once the government has formally accepted those findings, the IEC has sufficient basis to decline the nomination,” the source stated. “This is not a political decision; it follows from the documented record.”
The confirmation comes a day after Coalition 2026 issued a statement insisting that neither the commission nor the White Paper had banned Bensouda from contesting the 5 December election. The coalition described the White Paper’s release as a last-minute political maneuver by the NPP government and said Bensouda’s nomination would proceed on 7 November.
Electoral sources rejected that position. They said the coalition’s claim that the White Paper “cannot ban” Bensouda overlooks the IEC’s independent duty to apply constitutional and electoral qualifications. “The law does not require a separate court order or explicit ban for the IEC to act on established findings of this nature,” one official explained. “The nomination calendar does not override the integrity requirements.”
The sources indicated that Bensouda’s team would be formally notified if the papers are rejected and that any challenge would have to go through the courts. They noted that the timing of the White Paper, released shortly after the IEC published its nomination calendar, does not alter the substance of the findings or the commission’s authority to enforce them.
Coalition 2026 has called on supporters to mobilize peacefully on 7 November and accompany Bensouda to the IEC. Sources said such mobilization would not change the outcome of the eligibility assessment, which is based on the inquiry record the government has already accepted.
The White Paper had directed the Inspector General of Police to investigate possible economic crimes and referred the matter to the Auditor General for recovery proceedings, while also asking the council to consider removal proceedings under the Local Government Act. Electoral and legal officials said those steps reinforce, rather than weaken, the case against accepting the nomination.
