The latest political developments unfolding in the Gambia are indeed scary. The high court has given the green light for anyone with a valid voter’s card to vote in the forthcoming presidential election even if his or her name is not on the master registry of eligible voters. This ruling is unconstitutional. The constitution and election degree require the IEC to publish the list of registered voter so the citizens and political parties can scrutinize the list and go the court, to be establish by the Attorney General, to challenge anyone who is believed to be ineligible to vote in the election. This requirement makes it unconstitutional for anyone to vote in the election whose name does not appear on the registry. How could one challenge the eligibility of anyone who you do not even know is registered as a voter in the election. Therefore such ghost voters are not eligible to vote and should not be allowed to vote.  Their participation in the forthcoming election will
 undoubtedly nullify the election result. 
   
  No one even knows the total number of registered voters in the country. We cannot determine the turnout rate and other key indicators use to analyze the election results. 
   
  I think the oppositions should boycott the forthcoming presidential election and advise their supporters to stay away from it. By contesting this election, the opposition will legitimize this corrupt process. It will do no harm to the opposition if they call it quit since they cannot win under the current conditions. The playing field is designed to benefit APRC at the detriment of the opposition and the Gambian peoples. 
   
  I think this strategy might be more effective than contesting the election where their chance of wining is very slim. When the opposition boycotts the election, the APRC government would loose credibility and the international community may conclude that the elections are not free and fair. This conclusion will put the APRC government under international surveillance and hence its eminent demise.
   
  Muhammed Lamin Touray
   

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