Saikou Sawo, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Presidential Flagbearer, has thrown his weight behind the United Democratic Party’s (UDP) call for greater transparency in the 2026 Supplementary Voter Registration, describing the discrepancies as serious threats to electoral integrity.
Speaking after attending today’s UDP press conference alongside Vice Presidential running mate, Nenneh Cheyassin Secka Kebe, Sawo praised the UDP’s vigilance and thorough analysis of the registration data.
“The integrity of our elections is non-negotiable,” Sawo stated. “The inconsistencies uncovered — including omitted voters, duplicate registrations, and conflicting figures — are serious and must be fully resolved before the voter register is finalized.”
While acknowledging that the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has admitted some errors, Sawo insisted that explanations alone are insufficient to restore public confidence.
He issued a strong four-point demand to the IEC, among them to publish the corrected supplementary voter registration list immediately; Provide a detailed explanation of how every omission and duplicate registration was identified and resolved; Grant political parties and independent observers full access to verify the corrections; and Conduct and publish an independent technical audit of the entire voter registration process.
Sawo emphasized that every eligible Gambian deserves the assurance that their vote will count. “The IEC must now demonstrate, through transparency and accountability, that our electoral process is credible and worthy of the public’s trust,” he added.
The PPP flagbearer’s intervention comes shortly after his party allied with the UDP, signaling growing opposition unity on electoral reforms. The joint pressure increases the spotlight on the IEC as it prepares to finalize the voter register ahead of future elections.
Political observers say the coordinated stance by the two parties could compel the Commission to act swiftly to avoid further erosion of trust in the electoral system.
