By Omar Bah
Gambia police have rejected a request by members of the Gambia For 5 Years and Peace Building to protest on Friday.
The group wanted to take to the streets to protest against the IEC’s decision to allow Banjul Mayor Rohey Malick Lowe to issue attestations for Gambian voter’s card.
Confirming the rejection of a permit, the secretary general of the pro-Barrow group Ebrima Sorrie Bah, said they were given a verbal rejection by police at a meeting yesterday at the police headquarters in Banjul.
“The IGP has rejected our permit request to march to the IEC headquarters and submit a petition against them for illegally authorising Mayor Rohey Malick Lowe to issue birth attestations to Banjulians. Now the group will hold a press conference on Tuesday at the Semega Janneh Hall by 10.00 am,” Sorrie Bah told The Standard yesterday evening.
He said the group will petition the IEC and Mayor Lowe for an immediate halt on the issuance of attestations.
“We will file for an injunction at the High Court thereafter. We will also request the IEC to nullify the attestations the Mayor already issued.”
Mr Bah said the group has accepted “in good faith” the decision by IGP to reject their request for permit.
“Their reason for the rejection of our march we were told was based on security reasons. We have canceled the Friday protest,” he said.
The police spokesperson was contacted for comments but he did not answer his telephone.
The electoral commission’s decision authorizing Mayor Lowe to issue attestations has generated a lot of controversy over the past weeks as opinions remain divided over its legality.
However, Mayor Lowe has insisted that the IEC’s decision has basis in law but critics point out that the mayor is a representative a political party and should not therefore be in charge of attestation.
