IEC To Announce Approved Presidential Candidates Today

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) is expected to announce the final list of approved candidates for the 5th December, 2026 presidential election today at 3pm, after the completion of the processing and verification of nomination papers submitted by aspiring candidates.

Chairman Joseph Colley said the commission received 18 submissions for nomination out of the 27 aspiring candidates initially expected to participate in the process, which began on 3rd November.

Nine aspirants withdrew without submitting their collected nomination papers.

Colley told journalists yesterday the commission will issue acceptance of nomination to all qualified candidates today.

Of the 18 submissions received, six have not been processed because the aspirants had not paid the required D1 million deposit. They include Democratic Party, Salieu Jallow, Alieu Sowe, Joseph Henry Joof, Abdou Dampha and Papa Secka.

The commission also withheld processing of the Gambia Labour Party’s submission after its sponsor, Bakusa Dukureh, publicly acknowledged holding dual citizenship. His senior secondary school certificate was also forwarded to the relevant authorities for verification.

Among those whose nominations have been processed, independent candidate Dr Isatou Touray, Talib Bensouda of Unite, United Democratic Party leader Ousainu Darboe and National People’s Party’s Adama Barrow have submitted the all the documentations and signatures required by the commission.

However, several other aspirants are still required to submit additional signatures to satisfy the electoral requirements.

The commission said citizenship and academic qualification checks were still on-going for some candidates, while the nomination papers of independent aspirants Lamin J Darbo and Almameh Gibba remained under processing.

Colley said the commission would continue updating the public as the verification process progresses, adding that the final outcome would only be known after the process is completed.