Gambians go to the polls Saturday to elect new president
Banjul, Gambia (PANA) - Gambians will Saturday, December 4, 2021, go to the polls to elect a President who will steer the affairs of the country for the next five years.
A total of 962,157 registered voters are expected to cast their ballot at about 1,554 polling stations across the country.
According to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), voting will commence at 7am and end at 5pm.
In all, six candidates are on the ballots, seeking to be elected President of Gambia.
They are incumbent president, Adama Barrow, National People’s Party (NPP), Ousainu Darboe United Democratic Party (UDP), Mama Kandeh, Gambia Democratic Congress (GDC), Halifa Sillah, People's Democratic Organisation for Independence and Socialism (PDOIS), Abdoulie Ebrima Jammeh, National Unity Party (NUP), and Essa Mbye Faal (Independent Candidate).
Meanwhile, the IEC has said barring any impediment, it is determined to declare results right after the counting of the votes.
The commission further entreated the public to disregard any allegations of rigging and assertions of a flawed electoral process by any individual or political parties since it is committed to conducting a free, fair, credible, transparent and peaceful election.
“When a voter visits the polling station, officials of the Electoral Commission will check the Voter ID to be sure if one is a registered voter.
"Once you have been verified as a registered voter, a presidential ballot paper will be given to you to cast your ballot for your preferred presidential candidate, after, you proceed to the next polling assistant for a parliamentary ballot paper to also cast your ballot for your preferred parliamentary candidate,” the IEC said.
Meanwhile, as presidential election is due on Saturday, Gambians have urged the Independent Electoral Commission to avoid making mistakes just like it did in the last election when it announced two results, within a week which nearly plunged the country into chaos with former president Yahya Jammeh making a U-turn to annul the result and cited an election fraud.
The reaction of the then president made thousands of Gambians flee to neighbouring countries such as Senegal for safety of their lives before forces of the regional bloc finally forced out Jammeh.
-0- PANA MSS/VAO 3Dec2021
