The by-election is as a result of the sacking of the member representing the area, Pa Malick Ceesay, by his party, the ruling APRC on May 11. Though no reason was proffered for Ceesay’s sack which was with immediate effect, it may not be unconnected with his recent arrest and subsequent indictment by the police. Mr Ceesay is indicted on seventeen criminal counts bordering on economic crime, abuse of office, negligence of official duty, theft, among other related charges while serving as the coordinator at the National Enterprise Development Initiative.
The dispatch from IEC states:“In accordance with Section 91 subsections (d) and subsection 3 of the 1997 Constitution of the Republic of The Gambia, the Independent Electoral Commission will conduct a National Assembly by-election for the Lower Saloum Constituency in the Central River Region on Thursday 6th August 2015.
“This by-election is necessitated by the expulsion of Honourable Pa Malick Ceesay, the erstwhile National Assembly Member of the said constituency from the APRC party in whose ticket was elected to the National Assembly.
“The IEC was formally informed of the said vacant seat by the clerk of the National Assembly in accordance with the provisions of the 1997 Constitution of the Republic of The Gambia.”
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