By: Alieu Ceesay
The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has accepted the nomination papers of five prominent presidential aspirants, including incumbent President Adama Barrow and veteran opposition leader Ousainou Darboe, clearing them to contest the December 5, 2026 presidential election.
IEC Chairman Joseph Colley announced the decisions on Thursday as the nomination window nears its November 14 close, confirming that the papers of Barrow of the National People’s Party (NPP), Darboe of the United Democratic Party (UDP), Talib Ahmed Bensouda of the UNITE party, Modou Lamin Sima of the Alliance of Progressive Citizens, and independent candidate and former Vice President Isatou Touray were all found to be in order.
The acceptance of these candidates marks a significant milestone in what is shaping up to be a competitive race to lead The Gambia. Barrow, seeking another term, and Darboe, the longtime UDP standard-bearer and a central figure in the country’s democratic transition, emerge as the most high-profile figures among those cleared. Bensouda, whose candidacy has drawn public attention amid the recently concluded Local Government Commission of Inquiry, Sima, and Touray complete the initial group of accepted aspirants. Representatives of the cleared candidates were invited to collect their official acceptance certificates.
While these five candidates advance, the IEC continues to process nomination documents from remaining aspirants, with several facing signature shortfalls, additional verification, or outright rejection. The Commission emphasized that submitting extra signatures does not automatically guarantee acceptance, as all documents must still undergo thorough processing and verification.
Among those still under review, the National Builders Party has submitted 144 additional registered-voter signatures from the Banjul Administrative Area and 23 from Basse, bringing its national total to 379. The IEC is processing these while it conducts further checks into the candidate’s citizenship status. Independent aspirant Bakary K. Badjie has also submitted additional signatures from multiple administrative areas, with verification ongoing.
Ebrima Tabora Manneh provided further signatures, including 57 from Kanifing, eight from Mansakonko, and three from Janjanbureh, but must still meet a national requirement of 1,570 signatures.
Independent candidate Lamin J. Darbo falls short by 840 signatures nationally, while verification of his renunciation of British citizenship continues. Almameh Gibba recorded shortages across Banjul, Mansakonko, Kerewan, and Basse. Independent aspirant Papa Seka has paid the required D1 million nomination deposit but remains short of the national requirement of 3,062 signatures and must supply additional endorsements across five administrative areas.
In a clear rejection, the National Democratic Party turned down Kebba Madi Bojang’s nomination due to inconsistencies in his date of birth. Chairman Colley stated: “Whereas the records from WAEC and WASSCE indicate a date of birth of 15 March 1995 as the student’s date of birth, the documents submitted to the IEC indicate 15 March 1975.” The discrepancy between educational records and the identity document submitted to the Commission proved decisive.
Following the announcement, Ebrima Dibba, speaking to the press after collecting an acceptance letter for his party’s candidate, expressed confidence. “Our party is an organized party and Gambian people are confident in us that if elected we can take the country forward,” he said, predicting victory in the coming election.
The IEC has pledged to continue providing updates on the nomination process, with further announcements expected in the coming days. Public attention remains focused on the field of candidates as The Gambia prepares for its December 5 presidential vote, the latest test of the country’s multiparty democratic system since the 2016 change of government. With the nomination period set to conclude on November 14, the Commission’s final list of accepted candidates will shape what is expected to be a closely watched contest.
