By Fatou Dahaba
The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has received nomination papers from 12 aspiring presidential candidates as of the close of day six in the official filing window, Chairman Joseph Colley announced. The process, which opened on 3 November 2026 and is scheduled to conclude on 14 November, had been expected to yield 18 submissions by this stage, but six aspirants who collected forms have since withdrawn.
Speaking during a media briefing, Colley confirmed that the All Inclusive Party, Gambia Action Party, and National Unity Party have pulled out of the race. The National Unity Party has indicated it will instead join the Team Gambia Grand Coalition. Three independent hopefuls—Musa Jallow, Ismaila Jobe, and Alkali Cham—have also abandoned their bids.
Of the 12 nominations formally submitted, four remain unprocessed because the candidates have not yet paid the mandatory D1 million deposit required under electoral law. Those affected are the Democratic Party and independent aspirants Salieu Jallow, Alieu Sowe, and Joseph Henry Joof. A fifth submission, that of the Gambia Labor Party, has also not been processed after its sponsor, Bakusa Dukureh, publicly acknowledged holding dual citizenship. The party’s senior secondary school certificate has been forwarded to the relevant authorities for verification.
Several other nominations have been reviewed but remain incomplete pending additional documentation or signatures. Modou Lamin Sima of the Alliance of Progressive Citizens was instructed to submit a further 1,040 registered voter signatures to meet the national threshold of 5,000. Independent candidate Dr Isatou Touray’s papers were processed, but she must still provide 12 more signatures from the Kerewan Administrative Area to satisfy the regional requirement.
Ansu Sanneh of the National Builders Party had his documents examined, but his citizenship status is still under verification. He is also required to furnish 144 additional signatures from Banjul, 23 from Basse, and 379 nationally. Kebba Madi Bojang of the National Democratic Party had his nomination processed, with verification of his senior secondary school certificate still ongoing. He must submit five more signatures in Banjul, 21 in Kanifing, and 1,914 at the national level.
Independent candidate Bakary K. Badjie was cleared for processing but needs additional signatures across multiple administrative areas, including Banjul, Kanifing, Kerewan, Mansakonko, Janjanbureh, and Basse, amounting to a national shortfall of 2,310. Ebrima Tabora Manneh of the People’s Alliance Party must still provide signatures from Kanifing, Mansakonko, and Janjanbureh, with a national deficit of 1,507.
Only one aspirant, Talib Ahmed Bensou of the Unit Movement for Change, has had his nomination papers fully processed with no outstanding requirements for documents or signatures.
Chairman Colley emphasized that the nomination exercise remains open and that additional candidates are expected to file before the 14 November deadline. He assured the public that the IEC would continue issuing regular updates on papers received, processed, and corrected. He said he would publish the names of fully endorsed candidates once the process concludes and all verifications are complete.
The D1 million deposit and signature thresholds are part of the legal framework intended to ensure only serious, broadly supported candidates proceed to the ballot. With several days remaining, the final list of presidential contenders is still taking shape.
