By Omar Bah
A group of concerned Gambians, the Manding Network, has called on the Independent Electoral Commission to avoid making any errors in December amid a tense political environment.
In a statement signed by its president Lamin Anta Jajur shared with The Standard, the group said: “We urge the IEC to up it to avoid making the mistakes they have made in 2016 because this election is completely different. We are not anticipating any margin of error.”
The group said it is worried about how the commission started flattering its laws well before the election by wrongly rejecting the nominations of Mai Fatty and Dr Ismaila Ceesay. “We are very concerned about the current political situation in the country. We are worried that any margin for error from the electoral commission could put this country into chaos. We urged all Gambians to be vigilant and avoid causing any uncertainty in the country,” the group added.
The group also raised serious concern over the security implications the NPP/APRC alliance could generate.
“We are worried because there are hundreds of victims who are very disappointed in the president’s decision to work with the APRC,” it added.
The group urged the government “to do everything humanly possible to safeguard rights and freedoms of all candidates during and after the election. The government should avoid all forms of intimidation”.
“Politics in our country is getting uglier day by day, causing division, hatred and conflicts.
We should reject all forms of rhetoric and unite regardless of our political and tribal differences.
“Political leaders should bear in mind, there are certain fundamental things you need to do if you want to win an election. To persuade people to vote for you, they must know who you are, have confidence in your platform, and believe that you’re the best person for the job. If you take the time to understand potential voters and get your message out, you can get the votes you need to win,” it noted.
