Opposition leaders reject Gambian election results

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Opposition Leaders in Kandeh, Darboe and Faal addressing the media at Darboe's Residence

Three of the contesting candidates in Saturday’s presidential election have unanimously rejected the preliminary results of the election which sees incumbent President Adama Barrow winning a landslide victory.

Addressing journalists on behalf of the two other candidates, Ousainu Darboe, leader of the main opposition UDP, said:

“On December 4 2021, Gambians came out in large numbers to vote in the presidential elections. Twenty-four hours later, no clear winner has been declared by the Independent Electoral Commission.
“The United Democratic Party and its partners, GFA and Honourable Marie Sock, the Gambia Democratic Party and parties that endorsed his candidature, Honourable Essa Faal have the following preliminary observations on the just concluded electoral process; one, considering that the Gambia has an electorate of approximately 900,000 with on-the-spot counting, we are concerned that there has been an inordinate delay in the announcement of results; two, a number of issues have been raised by our agents and representatives in polling stations, centres and at the IEC headquarters.
“As a result, the representatives of the aforementioned candidates at the IEC headquarters refused to to endorse some of the results that were announced through the public media. We are investigating this matter and our partners, to determine our future course of action. At this point, we reject the results announced thus far by the IEC.
“We reserve the right to embark on any action the situation requires. To this end, all options are on the table. In the meantime, we urge all Gambians to remain calm and peaceful while we continue our investigations of these concerns.”

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Sainey M.K. Marenah
Mr. Sainey M.K. Marenah is a prominent Gambian journalist and the founding editor of The Alkamba Times. He previously held the position of Head of Communications at the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC) and served as a Communications and PR Consultant for The Gambia Pilot Program under Gamworks. Additionally, Mr. Marenah was the social media strategist and editor at Gambia Radio and Television Services and served as the Banjul Correspondent for Voice of America Radio. With a focus on human rights and developmental journalism, Mr. Marenah has established a significant presence in the Gambian media landscape, particularly in new media environments. His career began in 2008 as a junior reporter at The Point Newspaper, where he advanced to become Chief Correspondent. He later joined The Standard Newspaper in Banjul as Editorial Assistant and Head of News. Mr. Marenah is known for covering some of the most critical stories during the former and current administrations, including high-profile treason cases involving former military chiefs from 2009 to 2012. After his arrest and imprisonment by the previous regime of President Yahya Jammeh in 2014, he relocated to Dakar, Senegal, where he continues to work as a freelance journalist for various local and international media organizations, including the BBC, Al Jazeera, VOA, and ZDF TV in Germany. He is also a co-founder of the Banjul-based Media Center for Research and Development, an institution dedicated to research and development initiatives. As a journalist and communication expert dedicated to supporting the Gambia's transitional process, Mr. Sainey M.K. Marenah plays a significant role in developing a media and communications platform aimed at enhancing civic participation and raising awareness of the requirements for transitional governance. His efforts contribute to the country's ongoing movement toward democratization. In addition to his work in Gambia, Mr. Marenah has traveled extensively across Europe, Africa, and the United States as a professional journalist and has participated in various local and international media training programs. He is currently based in the United States.

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