By: Alieu Ceesay
The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has revealed that several candidates seeking to contest the December 5, 2026 presidential election are still working to resolve outstanding nomination deficiencies, primarily shortages of registered voter signatories, with only one day remaining before the nomination window closes.
Nomination submissions opened on November 3 and are scheduled to conclude on November 14, 2026. In a media briefing on day 11 of the process, the Commission reported that it had received no entirely new nomination papers from any aspirant. The only new submissions were additional voter signatories from candidates previously notified of shortfalls in their documentation.
Among those still working to meet the requirements is Ansu Sanneh of the National Builders Party, who has formally informed the IEC of his withdrawal from the race. Independent aspirant Bakary K. Badjie has submitted further signatories, yet he continues to fall short in multiple areas. The Commission stated that Badjie remains deficient by nine signatories in the Banjul Administrative Area, eight in the Basse Administrative Area, and 1,195 nationally. Additional signatories he submitted on Friday have not yet been processed.
Independent aspirant Almameh Gibba has likewise submitted extra voter signatories after an initial review identified shortages in his nomination. The IEC noted that these additional documents are still awaiting processing to determine whether he has reached the legally required threshold.
Another independent candidate, Papa Secka, has paid the mandatory D1 million nomination deposit, and the IEC has processed his papers. However, he has yet to submit the additional registered voter signatories needed to satisfy the legal minimum.
The Commission also confirmed positive developments for other aspirants. Ebrima Tabora Manneh of the People’s Alliance Party has had his nomination papers accepted. Independent aspirant Lamin J. Darbo has submitted further signatories to address an earlier shortfall, and the relevant authorities have verified his renunciation of British citizenship.
In a separate case, independent aspirant Abdou Dampha has withdrawn from the process after the IEC declined to process his papers because he failed to pay the required D1 million deposit.
IEC officials explained that the verification of additional signatories and other supporting documents remains ongoing. These checks are necessary to establish whether each aspirant has fulfilled all statutory conditions for a valid nomination.
“The Commission will announce all candidates who have withdrawn, accepted, or rejected at the end of the nomination period on 14th November 2026 at 6 pm,” IEC Chair Joseph Colley stated. He emphasized that the IEC will determine the final list of accepted and rejected candidates only after processing all pending documents.
With the nomination period ending on Saturday, November 14, attention is focused on whether the remaining aspirants can close their gaps before the deadline. The IEC has stressed that the definitive outcome will not be known until nominations officially close and the accepted candidates for the December presidential election are publicly announced.
