By Kebba Ansu Manneh
The United Democratic Party (UDP) has filed its most awaited election petition to the Supreme Court of The Gambia in Banjul, on Tuesday, 14th December, 2021, against the winning of President-Elect Adama Barrow.
Petition was signed by Alhagie S. Darboe, Administrative Secretary UDP and also Member of Parliament for Brikama North Constituency was submitted by Lawyer Borry Touray to Chief Justice of The Gambia, Hassan Jallow.
It’s not clear when Juries will be available at the Supreme Court to preside over the petition filed by opposition UDP.
The Party through its Lawyers who have since been gathering evidences said the election petition is filed in pursuant to serious violations of expressed provisions of the election Act. Cap. 13.01 of the revised laws of The Gambia.
According to the petition, the first ground of attack is the prevalence of corrupt practices in the 2021, Presidential election, noting that the election Act in particular Section 116 does not permit the adulteration of the election system.
Key among the issues UDP raised in the petition includes the turning away of electorates for non-wearing mask; the sealing of ballot boxes in the morning in the absence of UDP Agents; refusal to supply counted results to UDP agents at some of the counting centers; the reopening of the polls for voting after the official closure of same at 5pm; continuation of voting into night for up to midnight.
The Party also petitioned that there has been widespread appearance of resident non-Gambians to vote in the election, adding that widespread appearances of people across the borders both in the northern and southern Senegal to vote in the election.
The UDP Election Petition also highlighted the mass distribution of milling and decortication machines and other forms of material inducements to various constituencies and villages across the country by President Adama Barrow and the NPP.
The petition further stated that NPP Party has also prepared a list of its party supporters who were absorbed into the election system of the IEC as presiding officers and each of them participated in the Presidential election.
United Democratic Party also highlighted that part of the corrupt practices implore by NPP during the period is the participation of Governors, Chiefs and Alkalos, noting that Alkalos were promised of D3000 salary by the President if he wins the election.
The party among other issues also highlighted the tribal and hate speech delivered by Dembo By-Force Bojang, National President of the National People’s Party (NPP)
More so, that such statements utterances by NPP National President goes a long way to affect the chances of UDP getting votes from other ethno linguistic groups in the country, noting that most of these people voted against UDP because of the fear factor orchestrated by President Adama Barrow and the NPP .
