By Lamin Cham
Only six of the 21 aspirants seeking nominations have been cleared to contest the 4th December presidential election. They included Ousainu Darboe of UDP, Adama Barrow of NPP, Mamma Kandeh of GDC, Halifa Sallah of PDOIS, Abdoulie Jammeh of NUP and independent candidate Essa Faal.
The remaining 15 were disqualified for one reason or the other. They include six party leaders and nine independent candidates. One of the most shocking rejections was that of Dr Ismaila Ceesay of Citizen’s Alliance.
The party won admiration for its grassroots approach and widespread appeal among the youths. Yet according to the IEC Dr Ceesay failed to comply with Section 42 (2) (a) of the Elections Act which states that a candidate for election to the office of president shall be nominated in the prescribed form by not less than 5,000 voters whose names appear in the register of voters, with at least 200 voters from each administrative area. Dr Ceesay’s list of nominees from Banjul was faulted.
Below is the full list of the rejected aspirants and the reasons given by the IEC:
1. Joseph Henry Joof – Independent
He did not comply with Section 42 (2) (a) of the Elections Act (2009), in the sense that he submitted support of nomination by registered voters on notebooks and not on the legally prescribed form.
In some administrative areas, where he submitted support of nomination by registered voters on the legally prescribed form, he submitted the support of nomination by less than 200 registered voters as opposed to the legal requirement that a candidate for election to the office of president shall be nominated in the prescribed Form 1 Part A of the fourth schedule by not less than 5,000 voters whose names appear in the register of voters, with at least 200 voters being drawn from each administrative area.
Joseph Henry Joof’s nomination is hereby rejected in accordance with section 47(1) of the Elections Act.
2. Marie Sock – Independent
She failed on Section 42 (2)(a); being that she did not submit the legally required number of support to nomination by registered voters.
She did not fulfil the legal requirement contained in Section 42 (3) that “Every nomination under Sub-section (2) shall be subscribed by the candidate who shall make the declaration contained in the relevant form and by the persons nominating him or her.”
She did not submit a signed code of campaign ethics as per S 92 (2) of the Elections Act.
She did not submit the assets declaration as per S 42 (7) of the Elections Act
Marie Sock’s nomination is hereby rejected in accordance with Section 47 (1) of the Elections Act.
3. Alhaji Mamadi Kurang – Independent
He submitted nomination forms in the name of an unregistered political party, namely GYC Change.
He did not comply with Section 42 (2)(a); being that, he did not submit the legally required number of support to the nomination by registered voters.
Alhaji Mamadi Kurang’s nomination is hereby rejected in accordance with Section 4 7 (1) of the Elections Act.
4. Ebrima Tabora Manneh – Independent
He submitted a symbol in the name of an unregistered political party (PAP).
He did not comply with Section 42 (2) (a) of the Elections Act, being that, he submitted support of nomination by less than 5,000 registered voters.
Ebrima Tabora Manneh’s nomination is hereby rejected in accordance with Section 47 (1) of the Elections Act.
5. Momodou Bah – Independent
He did not comply with S 42 (2) (a) in the sense that he submitted support of nomination by less than 5,000 registered voters only from the West Coast Region and none from the other administrative areas.
Momodou Bah’s nomination is hereby rejected in accordance with Section 47 (1) of the Elections Act.
6. Bankole Yao Jojo Ahadzie
He did not comply with S 42 (2) (a) being that he submitted support of nomination by less than 200 registered voters from some administrative areas.
Bankole Yao Jojo Ahadzie’s nomination is hereby rejected in accordance with Section 47(1) of the Election Act.
7. Lamin Satou Bojang – ANRD
He did not comply with Section 42 (2) (a) in the sense that he submitted support of nomination by less than 5,000 registered voters.
Lamin Satou Bojang’s nomination is hereby rejected in accordance with Section 47 (1) of the Elections Act.
8. Mai Ahmad Fatty – GMC
He has not complied with Section 42 (2) (a) being that, in Banjul Administrative Area, he submitted the support of nomination by less than 200 registered voters, as opposed to the legal requirement that a candidate for election to the office of president shall be nominated in the prescribed Form 1 Part A of the Fourth Schedule by not less than 5,000 voters whose names appear in the register of voters, with at least 200 voters from each administrative area.
Mai Ahmed Patty’s nomination is hereby rejected in accordance with Section 47 (I) of the Elections Act.
9. Mamadi KS Camara – Independent
He did not comply with Section 42 (2) (a) being that, he submitted support of nomination by less than 5,000 registered voters.
He did not comply with Section 42 (3) of the Election Act, in that he did not submit his assets declaration contained in the relevant form.
He did not comply with Section 42 (7) of the Elections Act, in that he did not submit his assets declaration on the legally prescribed form.
He did not submit his code of campaign ethnic and thus did not comply with Section 92(2) of the Election Act.
10. Ismaila Ceesay – CA
He has not complied with Section 42 (2) (a) in Banjul Administrative Area, in that he submitted the support of nomination by less than 200 registered voters, as opposed to the legal requirement that a candidate for election to the office of president shall be nominated in the prescribed Form 1 Part A of the Fourth Schedule by not less than 5,000 voters whose names appear in the register of voters, with at least 200 voters from each administrative area.
Ismaila Ceesay’s nomination is hereby rejected in accordance with Section 47 (1) of the Elections Act.
11. Sheikh Tijan Hydara – GANU
He has not complied with Section 42(2)(a) being that, in Banjul Administrative Area and Mansakonko Administrative Area, he submitted the support of nomination by less than 200 registered voters respectively, as opposed to the legal requirement that a candidate for election to the office of president shall be nominated in the prescribed Form 1 part A of the fourth schedule by not less than 5,000 voters whose names appear in the registration of voters, with at least 200 voters from each Administrative area.
Sheikh Tijan Hydara’s nomination is hereby rejected in accordance with section 47(1) of the Election Act.
12. Alieu Sowe – GAP
The nomination of Alieu Sowe is hereby nullified by the Independent Electoral Commission due to the fact that forgery has been detected on the Support of the Nomination Form. This is classified as an offence in Section 112 of the Election Act.
Alieu Sowe’s nomination is hereby rejected in accordance with Section 47(1) of the Elections Act.
13. Sheikh Matarr Nyang – Independent
He did not comply with Section 42 (2) (a) in the sense that he submitted support of nomination by less than 5,000 registered voters as opposed to the legal requirement number.
Sheikh Matarr Nyang’s nomination is hereby rejected in accordance with Section 4 7 (1) of the Elections Act.
14. Papa Faal – Independent
He has not complied with Section 42 (2) (a) of the Elections Act, being that, in Mansakonko Administrative Area, he submitted the support of nomination by less than 200 registered voters, as opposed to the legal requirement that a candidate for election to the office of president shall be nominated in the prescribed Form 1 Part A of the Fourth Schedule by not less than 5,000 voters whose names appear in the register of voters, with at least 200 voters from each administrative area.
Papa Faal’s nomination is hereby rejected in accordance with Section 47 (1) of the Elections Act.
15. Yusupha A Dumbuya – DP
He has not complied with S 42 (2) (a) being that he submitted the support of nomination by less than 5,000 registered voters as opposed to the legally prescribed number of at least 5,000 registered voters.
Yusupha A Dumbuya’s nomination is hereby rejected in accordance with S 47(1) of the Elections Act.
Meanwhile, the IEC also announced that the following aspirants have cancelled their nominations. They are:
1. Matthew Gomez – Independent
2. Bakary Bunja Dabo – GFA
3. Dr Bai Biram Jagne – APP
4. Tamsir M Jasseh – Independent
5. Mamadou Bah – Independent.nm
