THE OPPOSITION WILL EVER REMAIN BROKEN. WHO DO I TRUST MY VOTE WITH - DARBO
OR HAMAT. ONE IS SAYING BEST REGISTRATION AND THE OTHER TOTAL OPPOSITE.

THE OPPOSITION BOAT IS SINKING FAST

Gambia: Breaking News: HAMAT BAH SAYS THIS YEAR’S VOTER REGISTRATION IS THE
BEST SO FAR!
*HAMAT BAH SAYS THIS YEAR’S VOTER REGISTRATION IS THE BEST SO FAR!*

**

*…ADMITS THAT OF COURSE THERE ARE IRREGULARITIES IN SOME AREAS*

*‘DONORS REFUSED TO FUND GAMBIA’S ELECTIONS’*

A leading opposition leader in The Gambia is impressed with the ongoing
voter registration taking place in the country—even though he admits that
there are cases of irregularities with non Gambians, including minors being
registered by the Independent Electoral Commission. The opposition leader
said this year’s voter registration is one of the best ever conducted in the
country’s electoral history.

National Reconciliation Party (NRP) founding leader Hamat Bah, who is also a
Presidential hopeful in the forthcoming November elections, praised Gambia’s
Electoral Commission for its impartiality, and vigilance during the crucial
period of the nation’s democratic process. Mr. Bah, said the IEC has done
its very best by ensuring that there is a level political field in The
Gambia.

The NRP leader speaking in an Exclusive interview with *Freedom Radio*said
the voter registration is going on very well in The Gambia, and for the
first time in living memory that opposition parties are being allowed to
have representatives at various voting centers across the country to monitor
the voter registration exercise. Bah, observes that even though there are no
electoral laws put in place that caters for opposition parties to monitor
the registration of voters, the IEC this time around had decided to allow
parties to send in their representatives to observe the registration. This
he went on, is a significant milestone on the side of the IEC, and that of
the nation’s democratization process.

He said despite there were some irregularities, so far this is one of the
best registration exercise ever conducted by the IEC. A differing view,
compared to the position taken by the  leader of the main opposition UDP
Lawyer Ousainou Darboe, who described this year’s voter registration as one
of the "worst" in the nation’s history.  Mr. Darboe strongly lamented about
the registration of minors, and non Gambians by the IEC. He also complained
about Gambian soldiers without proper national documentation being allowed
to acquire Gambian voters card. Mr. Darboe, is of the view that there cannot
be free, fair, and transparent elections if such irregularities are not
addressed by the IEC.  He is not convinced that the IEC had so far done a
good job in addressing some of the electoral anomalies cited above.

But NRP leader Hamat Bah argues that credit should be given to the IEC
despite such shortcomings.  He said the IEC is on firm ground and had always
jealously safeguarded its credibility. Mr. Bah cites the registration of
minors which the IEC jointly condemned alongside with the opposition. He
said his own agents monitoring the voter registration in Upper Saloum were
assaulted by a police officer. He added that  the said agents were arrested
by the Governor of the area, and were beaten by a member of the police.  Thanks
to the IEC’S intervention, he said, his agents were released from custody
within one or two hours. He said the Governor was made to drop the NRP
agents where he picked them from following IEC’S protest against the
mistreatment meted out to his representatives by the police. Mr. Bah said
the assault case his agents is being investigated by the police.

Mr. Bah, told Freedom Radio that his party had documented over 300 non
Gambians registered in Upper Saloum. He said some ruling party militants are
bringing non Gambians from neighboring Senegalese villages to obtain voters
card in The Gambia. He said his party will contest the illegal registration
in the revising courts after the completion of the registration exercise.

Mr. Bah, wants the IEC to ensure that the revising courts remain impartial
during such hearings.  He observes that the country’s peace, and stability
would only be guaranteed if there is a just, and fair legal system in the
country. He said the judiciary should dispense justice with fairness
irrespective the powers that be. He said some people might be skeptical
about the impartiality of certain magistrates, but at the same time Mr. Bah
appealed for restraint. He calls on Gambians to allow the rule of law to
prevail in The Gambia. He said aggrieved parties should resort to the
revising courts to contest the alleged illegal voter registration.

*Gambians From Mauritania Acquiring Voters Card!*

Mr. Bah, said about four hundred Gambians residing in the Islamic nation of
Mauritania were transported into the country by the ruling APRC Government
to take part in the voter registration. Mr. Bah, said he doesn’t see
anything wrong with Gambians overseas, or in the sub-region coming home to
take part in the voter registration. He said what his party is opposed to is
for such prospective voters to register in localities they never hailed
from. He said both the opposition, and the IEC had protested that
Gambian/Mauritanian voters should be registered where they came from, and
not in the KMC area. He praised the IEC for its firmness in protesting
against such irregularities.

Mr. Bah, said if the ruling Government can afford to facilitate the
transportation of its supporters outside the country to take part in the
registration exercise, he has no quam with that. He noted that there is no
guarantee that the transported prospective voters will vote for Jammeh, and
his APRC.  He said Gambians are disenchanted with the status quo. And come
the November elections, he said, his party will dislodge Jammeh from power.
Bah said he is certain about NRP victory. He said the silent Gambian
majority are in for regime change.

Mr. Bad said due to lack of enough budget the IEC could not facilitate the
registration of Gambians abroad. He said people should not misconstrue the
recent move to allow Gambians residing in Mauritania to obtain voters card.
He said every Gambian irrespective of where you reside, has the right to
obtain voters card.  And The APRC supporters in Mauritania are of no
exception, he said.

Regarding the possibility of any opposition merger, Mr. Bah said his party
will not join any political party in the coming polls. He ruled out that
possibility. He said he is not stopping political parties from joining the
NRP to take on the Jammeh Government, but forming an alliance with the UDP,
PDOIS, or any other existing opposition party in The Gambia is not going to
happen. Bah, said the country’s opposition had disappointed Gambians with
their past history of lack unity, and consistency. He said he will not waste
his time forming an alliance with any party—even though he admits having
high regards for Lawyer Darboe—a man he describes as a true patriot who
loves his country.

*Donors Refuse To Finance The Elections*

According to Hamat Bah, despite repeated request made by the IEC for donor
partners to help finance elections in The Gambia, the donor community
refused.  Although, Mr. Bah will not disclose why the donors are refusing to
fund the elections.  “ You ask them. They know why they are refusing to fund
the elections,” Bah said adding that the 2011 elections are funded by The
Gambian Government. Mr. Bah contends that the donors might lack faith in the
IEC, but was hasten to add that all these are probabilities. He said The
Gambia is a sovereign nation, and should endeavor to fund its own elections.
He said as far as the NRP is concerned the IEC is doing a good job, and
deserved to be given tap on the back.

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-- 
*
*****************************************************************************
GOD BLESS THE GAMBIA.
LET US JOIN HANDS AND SUPPORT SHEIKH PROFESSOR DR. ALH YAHYA JAMMEH (NASIRU
DEEN) TO BUILD OUR COUNTRY. *


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