By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT
Citizens Alliance Presidential Candidate, Dr Ismaila Ceesay claims that “this government is planning to cheat this election on a massive scale and that stealing has started”. He made these allegations at a Citizens Alliance press conference on 11th December 2020 held at Kanifing Estate. According to Dr Ceesay, the Government’s use of Gambia Radio and Television Services (GRTS), the Executive’s abuse of the Constitutionally mandated Meet the People’s Tour and the uncertainty surrounding the mandate of the Independent Electoral Commission’s (IEC) Chairperson proves that the stealing has started.
IEC’s Chairperson Tenure Shrouded in Mystery
Although Dr Ceesay insisted that he was not claiming “that his [IEC’s Chairperson] tenure has expired but once there are suggestions from all corners that his tenure has ended there must be transparency around the tenure of the IEC Chairperson.”
Comparing the elections to football he explained that “when you go to play a football game and the qualification or the legitimacy of the referee is in doubt it must be solved before the game starts because once the game ends it could derail the whole entire process because if after elections a particular party wins and a particular stakeholder takes the case to court that in fact the IEC Chairman was not qualified to oversee this election and it came that that is the case then the entire process is derailed.”
According to provision 42 (4) of the 1997 Constitution, “the members of the Commission (IEC) shall be appointed for a period of seven years and may be re-appointed for one further term”. Some concerned advocates have raised the fact that the IEC Chairperson, Alieu Momar Njai has been a commissioner since 2006 and that his tenure will have expired by 2021. However, others claim there is an overlap in his tenure and that he still has time to complete his term.
To address this concern Dr Ceesay recommends that “the IEC must come out and tell us exactly the issues surrounding the tenure of the IEC Chairperson. We cannot go to elections with that being shrouded in mystery. There must be transparency around the tenure of the IEC Chairperson. If that is the case that his tenure is intact and he is supposed to be in charge then we don’t have any problems with that. But we need to know as stakeholders the issues surrounding the tenure of the IEC Chairperson.”
Meet the People’s Tour or NPP Tour?
One of the concerns raised by Dr Ceesay as proof that the elections is being stolen is the President’s Meet the People Tour. According to Dr Ceesay, the Constitutionally mandated tour should last for two weeks, however, “now it has been extended to 30 days using taxpayer’s money, using state resources. And everything you see in this tour is not about the country it’s about NPP [National Peoples Party, Incumbent President Barrow’s Party]. People cross carpeting from one party to the other. That should not be an agenda on the tour. NPP flags being raised that should not be an agenda, IEC should not allow that.”
In a strong rebuke, Dr Ceesay condemned “the current President [Adama Barrow]” for “spending millions of taxpayer’s monies to go on a tour to promote a particular Political Party’s agenda”.
According to provision 222 (15) of the 1997 Constitution, “the President shall undertake a nation-wide tour at least twice a year in order to familiarise himself or herself with current conditions and the effects of government policies”.
GRTS NPP Airtime Undermines Free and Fair Elections
The third justification for Dr Ceesay’s 2021 election cheat claims on a “massive scale” is the use of the State broadcaster Gambia Radio and Television Services. Dr Ceesay highlights that they’ve “seen how the incumbent is using GRTS airtime to pursue his political agenda”.
In his view “GRTS is a public institution that is supposed to give equal access to all political parties in this country”. Instead “we are seeing that GRTS shows events even to the extent that an event I was watching the last time was about the NPP Office electing their officials shown on GRTS. For us that is unfair and that must stop if you want to have a free and fair election”. The Citizens Alliance Presidential Candidate couldn’t fathom that an NPP meeting was being aired on GRTS.
“The cheating starts now and I think the Gambian people and the international community must pay attention to these things. If elections go wrong this is where it starts.”
Dr Ismaila Ceesay, Citizens Alliance Presidential Candidate