By Mafugi Ceesay
Lawyer Ousainou Darboe, leader of the opposition United Democratic Party has told a presser that the electoral body is complicit in the National People’s Party victory in the December 4th Presidential election.
Darboe stressed that electoral malpractice cannot happen without the IEC as an accomplice in collusion that denied Gambians their collective will.
“I cannot imagine IEC helping NPP to defraud the election and I want the electoral body to explain how three people can be registered within three minutes, the UDP petition was stopped at the supreme court because the IEC is sitting on tons of electoral fraud.”
Former Gambian Dictator
The opposition United Democratic Party leader indicated the former Gambian dictator for intimidating citizens, saying even Jammeh didn’t engage in registering people after the end of registrations.
Ousainu Darboe, said the December election was decided by ethnicity with political candidates mostly winning areas dominated by their affiliated cultural groups.
“We are all witness to the smear campaigns led by a religious adviser to Barrow, Demba Bojang, telling Fulas, Sererah, Sarahule, Wolof that they will be driven from the Gambia if Barrow loses the election, these are all tribal smear campaigns that influenced the vote on tribal lines”.
Citing Electoral Malpractice
The UDP leader threatened to publish, names and shame those that got voter’s cards after the closure of polls and electorates registered after the loss of registration cards before the national assembly polls.
“The 730 counting centers used as political centers out of 461, 89 were not endorsed by the UDP officials. Brikama North, Kabafita was endorsed, while Gibungto was not endorsed and that counted to 53 thousand plus”. Darboe outlined.
“What happened in the election would have been known if the supreme court allowed our case and all the malpractice would have been exposed.” He added.
The UDP leader stressed that 63 people were registered at Brikama by the electoral body even after the close of the registration at Brikama North and 22 were registered at Brikama Kabafita, Nyambai Babagalleh, 7, Nema Taba, Busuranding, and Brikama Market whilst Jalangbang registered continuously on July 6, 7 and 8. The Brikama Newtown registration was conducted on July, 2, and Brikama Serekundanding, Brikama Medina registration continued until 4 July 10th. The Brikama Perseverance registration was closed on June 19 but registration continued until the 6th, among other days”.
In Tanji, Darboe said registration closed on June 21 while other voters got registered after that date.
“Kabafita North was not designated by IEC but registration was conducted there on July 6th. In Farato, Tujereng senior secondary, and Tujereng Bataba the process went on from the 3 to July 6th according to Darboe who said UDP has photographic evidence and backing documents from IEC to corroborate these events.
“Badibou Kerewan, Njaba Kunda, Kinteh Kunda Jannehya voter registrations continued in various areas on July 6 as well as Jokadou. In Latrikunda Sabiji, Nyamina, Janjanbureh, Banjul South Mini stadium, Koina, and Koloro 73 voters were registered whilst Njau has just over 555 voters but two days before the polls IEC supplied the agents with 1003 voters.
Where did these voters come from? Darboe asked saying UDP has seen registrations being conducted in the house of the Minister of Lands, Musa Drammeh.
“In Jambanjaly South, 19 voters were registered after the close of registration and in Kolar registration continued well after the closure on July 11, up to July 30th”.
207 voters were registered in Jambanjely before the registration period, Darboe outlined noting that UDP cannot allow NPP to hijack the National Assembly elections as they did in the Presidential polls.
“My party has selected more candidates than any political party for the upcoming parliamentary elections, He added.
UDP Spokesperson Almamy Finding Taal said the Gambia must respect the rule under all the circumstances.
