IEC CHAIRMAN DISAPPOINTED WITH TURNOUT

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Shortly after the counting at a polling station in Bundungka Kunda Constituency, I sounded the views of the chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission, Mr Alieu  Momarr  Njie  and he said  one of their many problems was to manufacture thousands of ballot drums in a very short period, because of the number of candidates they have.

He said he thought that with the number of candidates people will come out en masse to vote, but unfortunately this did not happen and voter apathy is going on across the country. This he said is happening in spite of the voter education they have done across the country. He suggested that people felt they have now got what they wanted and that is the reason they are not coming to vote. He asserted that they only have one alternative which is to intensify their sensitisation for the next local government elections.

He said because of Gambia’s method of conducting credible elections during the last presidential election, the country is now a focal point in the whole world. That is why, he said, “we are having more international observers all over the world, more than double those who have come to observe the presidential election and we thank God that everything went successfully.”

Mr. Njie also urged voters to vote, go back home and wait for the results.

He said this election is historic because someone who has been here for so long has been defeated and because they are contesting in the newly born freedom and are freely exercising their rights.

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