By Alieu Ceesay
Almost one month after the 9th April 2022 Parliamentary Elections, two political parties and one organisation held a press conference at the People’s Democratic Organization for Independence and Socialism (PDOIS) political bureau in Churchill’s Town about the December 2021 and April 2022 Elections.
The press conference held on 8th May 2022 featured the PDOIS, the All-Peoples Party (APP) and Gambia Youth 4 Change headed by Independent Aspirant Mamadi Kurang.
PDOIS managed to qualify 18 candidates at the Parliamentary Elections, however, only two candidates managed to win in Hon Suwaibou Touray for Wulli East and Hon Musa Cham of Serrekunda. However, Hon Sidia Jatta of Wulli West and Hon Ousman Sillah of Banjul North both lost their bid for re-election. Party Leader and Presidential Flagbearer, Hon Halifa Sallah for Serrekunda did not contest and was replaced by London Corner Councillor Musa Cham.
PDOIS Secretary General Hon Sallah revealed that their party had consulted its candidates on the recently concluded Parliamentary Elections compared to the 2021 Presidential Election. Their consultations “revealed tremendous changes in the mindset of the Gambian people”.
According to the veteran politician, the changes observed are “not easily predictable, and therefore all parties have to go back to the drawing board”.
In contrast, President Adama Barrow’s National People’s Party (NPP) won the Majority of seats in Parliament by securing 18 seats while the United Democratic Party (UDP) won 15 seats. The National Reconciliation Party (NRP) led by Tourism Minister Hon Hamat Bah won 4 seats while the Association for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC) won two seats. However, 12 Independent Candidates won seats in the National Assembly which is a significant change from 2017 when one 1 Independent Candidate won a seat in Parliament.
According to Hon Sallah, the country’s political arena is changing, “political parties are changing and the candidates are also changing in nature and character”.
“Many candidates are becoming Independent Candidates and many parties aren’t filing [candidates] on basically members of their party — but are also following the trend of filling [candidates] who can win in that Constituency,” said Hon Sallah.
