CA Won’t Pursue Contempt Proceedings Against IEC Chairman

By Landing Ceesay 

The Citizens’ Alliance (CA) Party said it has instructed its lawyers not to pursue contempt proceedings against Alieu Momar Njie, Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). 

“Having regards for the conclusion of the electoral processes and to move on and unify the country; the Citizens’ Alliance (CA) has instructed its lawyer not to pursue the contempt proceedings against the Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), Alh. Alieu Momar Njie, for violating a court judgement and order in the former’s favour.

“CA is conscious of the fact that the penal for contempt of court is possibly an imprisonment, and that it will not be of national interest or CA’s interest to pursue a criminal proceeding that may possibly lead to the imprisonment of an elderly statesman in the person of the Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission, Alieu Momar Njie,” CA said in a statement. 

The Citizens’ Alliance said that its National Executive Committee for the sake of the overriding national interest arrived at the decision. 

“Meanwhile, CA will continue to institute proceedings for compensatory damages against the IEC’s ill-informed decision against the party and its candidate leading to the non-participation of the party and its candidate, Dr Ismaila Ceesay, in the recently concluded presidential election,” the statement added. 

The IEC at a press conference on the nomination of the candidates said Dr Ismaila Ceesay, the presidential aspirant for CA has not complied with section 42 subsection 2 (a) of the Elections Act, leading to his disqualification. 

The Citizens’ Alliance filed a case at the High Court against the Commission’s decision and the court ruled in favour of the party leader on 23^rd November.  

Despite the court rule, the Independent Electoral Commission did not allow the CA to run in the December 4 presidential election. Then CA   threatened to pursue contempt proceedings against the Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) for not implementing the High Court order, until this development.