Gambians have given President Adama Barrow another five years mandate following landslide victory on Saturday presidential election.
He secured his reelection with a
comfortable margin over his opposition in a vote that set the bar for a
new chapter in the small West African nation’s democracy.
Barrow won about 53% of the vote in Saturday's election, according to
results from the Independent Election Commission announced Sunday. He
easily beat out his main contender Ousainou Darboe of the United
Democratic Party who received about 28% of the vote.
This was the country’s first presidential election in decades that
did not include former dictator Yahya Jammeh, who now lives in exile in
Equatorial Guinea after losing the 2016 election and refusing to accept
defeat.The Chairman of the IEC, Alieu Mommar Njie, announced the results and
prayed for peace to prevail in the nation of about 2.4 million people.
“I hereby declare Adama Barrow duly elected to serve as President of
the Republic of The Gambia,” he said, after indicating that the National
People’s Party (NPP) emerged victorious with 457,519 of the votes cast.
UDP’s Darboe was credited with 238,233 votes, and Mama Kandeh of the
Gambia Moral Congress party came in third with 105,902 votes, according
to results announced by the IEC.
international observers, domestice, Journalists all described the presidential election as transparent and fair.
and about five former Presidents from West Africa all hailed the peaceful atmosphere of election
Three opposition leaders Darboe , Kandeh and Essa Mbaye Faal, the following day on Sunday held a press
briefing to challenge the credibility of the vote. According to a
statement from the parties, they were concerned about an “inordinate
delay” in the announcement of results.
Campaigner Banka Manneh told The Associated Press that he would not
deny the opposition leaders their rights to protest but he added,
“They need to provide the evidence of their claims. The courts are here to
settle dispute.”
Thousands of people stormed Westfield Youth Monument, located in the heart of Serrekunda, to celebrate Barrow’s reelection.
Current Issues spoke to some of the National People's Party (NPP), Alagie Ceesay said President Barrow is a man of peace. We have to give him a chance to
continue his development projects.
Nearly 860,000 Gambians came to vote on Saturday, a high number that
shows a determination for many to exercise their democratic rights as
demands for justice in the post-Jammeh era rise.
Barrow emerged victorious in 2016 as the candidate for an opposition
coalition that tested the 22-year rule of Jammeh. After initially
agreeing to step down, Jammeh resisted, and a six-week crisis saw
neighboring West African countries prepare to send in troops to stage a
military intervention. Jammeh was forced into exile.