National Convention Party (NCP) has expressed it strong disappointment about the ill-advice decision of the Independent Electoral Commission over the suspending of the great NCP party.
“It is our view that the decision taken by the IEC is not based on any sound legal system or logical foundation and therefore we rejected this move on its totality”, the NCP said in a press released signed by Majanko Samusa, the party leader and secretary general.
The released added: “The section ,127 of the Elections Acts ,cited in the IEC ‘s letter dated January 18, 2019, on the above subject reference AGC 102 /119/PART 152 cannot negate our constitution rights to operate as a bonafide political party .
That section 127 relies on the principle standards and rules of natural justice and fairness; but the IEC decision is certainly a flagrant violation of the rules of national justice and fairness.”
The NCP further said, “Our stance is based on the fact that the National Convention Party did hold a legitimate Congress on December 26, 2018 as mandated by the laws of this country.”
According to NCP the said Congress was attended by a majority of the past executives of the party within the country –wide representation of the party memberships and decision taken at that congress, including the memberships of the newly elected executives were duly conveyed to the IEC as required by law.
NCP recalled that, “Our letter, addressed to the IEC, dated 26th December, 2018 conveyed the outcome of the congress was of relevance.”
“If a minority renegade ground decided to convene another gathering in the name of the congress without any legal basis from the constitution of our party ,then on that congress any decision taken there become null and void under any civilized dispensation”, the released pointed out.
The party also revealed that in a letter dated 13th December, 2018, we duly informed the IEC about our decision to dismiss three (3) renegade members of our executives in line with the constitution of our party.
The released also stressed that in the same letter, “we formally informed IEC about out plans for the legally sanctioned congress of the party .Our decision to dismiss Badara Sidebeh, Buba Jadama and Yaya Marong from our executives were also conveyed to IEC through our letter dated December 4, 2018.”
It is therefore very disappointing that the IEC would disregard all these logical facts and take a decision to suspend our party without any due backing of the law or logistic.
To our surprise and dismay, the IEC latest communication to the NCP dated January 18, 2019 was also addressed to Badara Sidibeh as well. Even through this man and his minority of three (3) members of our executives are effectively defectors from our party, the party noted.
“We all knew that the Gambia political history has shown us examples of disaffection within the ranks of major political parties and the way to settles such grievance had been the resignation of the disaffected members who went on to create their own political parties; of which, the decision of the late Sheriff M Dibba and his colleagues were to quit the PPP and created their own party, the NCP. The late Hassan Musa Camara also left PPP to create The Gambia Peoples Party GPP”, the released pointed out.
Accordingly, those who may not be happy with our party had an option, and that is to quit and create their own party.
Nevertheless, to go ahead and initiate a parallel congress without any legal basis and thereby influence the national electoral body to take such an adverse decision against one of the oldest parties in this country is indeed both a travesty of justice and dangerous precedent in the orderly and democratic running of political party in this country which are actually the bedrocks of our democracy.
“In view of the foregoing, we reiterate our stance that we rejected and condemned the decision taken by the IEC to suspend our party .We urged IEC to reconsider this decision and do the right thing in the interest of democracy and fair play”, the released concluded.
