By Yankuba Jallow
The Independent Electoral Commission has accepted the withdrawal of Alpha Ousman Jallow, a nominated Independent Candidate for Chairperson for the Brikima Area Council from contesting the Local Government Elections slated for May 12th 2018.
According to the Election release from the Election House, the withdrawal was done in accordance with Section 51 (1) of the Elections Act which states that “a candidate may withdraw from his or her candidature by notice in writing signed by him or her, and delivered by himself or herself or one of the persons nominating him or her to the Returning Officer not later than four o’clock in the afternoon of the seventh day before the date of the election, or where the election is to be held over a period of days, before the first day of that period.”
Accordingly to the Returning Officer, Mr. Samboujang Njie acting in accordance with subsection two of the same section, the IEC accepted the withdrawal his candidature.
Furthermore, Assan Martins also an Independent Candidate for the Kanifing Municipality had earlier tendered his withdrawal to the Returning Officer for the mayoral election for the Kanifing Municipal Council, who also accepted his withdrawal accordingly. Fatim Sarr also withdrew from the KMC mayoral race, making the total withdrawal to be three.
42 candidates submitted nomination papers. The nomination of the APRC candidate for the chairpersonship for Basse Area Council, Pa Amadou Susso, was rejected by the Returning Officer. This means that there are now have 38 candidates contesting the Mayoral/Chairpersonship elections in The Gambia.
