By Buba Gagigo
The Head of ECOWAS Election Observation Mission (ECOWAS-EOM) in the Gambia, Mohamed Ibn Chambas called the parliamentary election ‘free and fair’.
Chambas added that they had 40 observers who spread across the entire length and breadth of the seven regions of the Gambia.
“They were able to go to all these places and came back without incident. Their main duty was to observe the conduct of the election. On arrival, we met the independent Electoral Commission (IEC), Inter-Parry Committee (IPC), civil society, and authorities. And we have been assured all the arrangements were in place to ensure successful polls. On Election Day, our observers were there. We ourselves were able to visit a number of polling stations. Generally, they opened on time. Materials were there. The required number of staff, security and importantly, we also saw party agents were there,” he told journalists after meeting President Adama Barrow at State House on Monday.
Mohamed Ibn Chambas continued that his team observed that both UDP and NPP had agents at all the polling stations they visited, but said some independent candidates, or one or two other parties were not able to have agents.
“We did not visit any polling station where we didn’t find party agents, even if it’s true that for instance many of the independents were not able to have agents or one or two other parties did not have the same capacity. But the two major parties, UDP and NPP clearly have agents in all polling stations we visited,” Mr. Chambas continued.
The ECOWAS-EOM Head added that vote counting was done in an open and free environment.
“At the end of the polls, we witnessed the counting, which was done very transparently in the open for all to see. What impressed us was that there was no pushing and shouting. They were all acting very professionally in the way they were relating to the staff of IEC.
“And this is why when we look at all these different steps and the processes that took place and the openness of it and the fact is, up to now; no candidate has brought to our attention anything to complain about. As we have always advised, if for any reason, any party is aggrieved, there was a code of conduct signed. And 85 percent of candidates signed it. We will urge anyone who has any grievances to go to court and present your case and allow the judicial process to resolve the matter,” he concluded.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) deployed forty observers for the ECOWAS Election Observation Mission (ECOWAS-EOM) to observe the National Assembly Election in The Gambia on Saturday. The observers were deployed on April 7, 2022, in Banjul, ahead of the April 9, 2022, Parliamentary Elections.
As part of the ECOWAS electoral support to Member States, H.E. Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, the President of the ECOWAS Commission, approved the deployment of the forty (40) short-term election observers (STOs) to The Gambia to support and monitor the entire electoral process.