Section 70 of the Constitution states that,
“There shall be a Vice-President of The Gambia who shall be the principal assistant of the President in the discharge of his or her executive functions and shall exercise such other functions as may be conferred on him or her by this Constitution or assigned to him or her by the President..”
It is evident that the vice president is a principal member of cabinet and should be appointed to be the principal representative of the president.
It is strange that up till now there is no substantive holder of the office of vice president. Many people believe that there is a vacancy in the office of vice president because of the desire of the president to appoint someone who is above 65 years and has to wait for elimination of the upper age limit which deters all those above 65 years from occupying the post.
Now that the National Assembly has passed a bill to remove the upper age limit one expected that it will be assented to with speed and published in the Gazette to make it enforceable. Once that is done the president will have no basis for keeping office of vice president without a substantive holder.
People are still wandering what is keeping the executive from appointing a vice president. Foroyaa will do more enquiry to know the truth.
