APRC Not Committed to Free, Fair Elections - Halifa
Wednesday 5th  October 2005

By Ousman Kargbo

Few days after the 29 September by-elections in Serrekunda Central, Wuli
West, Jarra West and Upper Saloum, Halifa Sallah, coordinator of the
National Alliance for Democracy and Development (NADD), has pointed out that
“the ruling party [APRC] is not committed to free and fair elections.”

The NADD coordinator, at a press briefing on Monday held at NADD’s
Headquarters in Churchill’s Town, told journalists that given the present
development in the political domain and the recent by-elections, “NADD is
well poised to take charge of the destiny of this county.”

He said they are however perturbed by the mishaps and malpractices that
marred the latest by-elections in the country, adding that from Upper Saloum
to Serrekunda Central, the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) allowed
their authority to be flouted by agents of the ruling party. He revealed
that they are collating concrete facts of election malpractices and
intimidation of NADD’s voters that took place on the voting day.

Here, following, is an unedited speech of NADD coordinator’s expose on the
by-elections:

As it stands, we can see from the angle of the presidential elections which
we are envisaging in 2006 that NADD is well poised to take charge of the
destiny of this country if the results of the elections are to go by.

We have participated in 10 by-elections since we started to build up the
base of  a coalition or an alliance, and tabulating the popular votes in
those 10 by-elections, NADD has 26, 821 votes, whilst APRC has 22, 415
votes. We believe that this is a good indication of what can happen in 2006.

But we have realised that the ruling party is not committed to free and fair
elections. NADD came into being to bring about decent politics so that the
actual will of the people, the undiluted choice of the people can be made.
But we have seen that in these four by-elections, especially in Upper Saloum
and Jarra West the regime had gone to all extent to frustrate the free and
fair expression of the will of the people.

People were entitled to be registered as voters on the basis of their
residence.  A number of people who were registered in Jarra [West] were
obstructed from going to Jarra to express their will. From the preliminary
information we have received, no less than 400 people who were on their way
to Jarra to cast their votes could not reach there because of police
obstructions on the way.  We raised this with the IEC and we are going to
prepare a formal report on the issue.

It is also indicated to us that while they [NADD supporters] were
commemorating their victory, firearm was utilized; there were gunshots, and
this also constitutes a threat to the peaceful coexistence of political
parties.

In Upper Saloum, reports have been made of people who were just before the
elections detained for over 72hrs even though their cases started weeks
before and court action could have been taken long before that time. Court
action was prolonged; they were being granted bail until two days before the
elections, then their bail were revoked and then they were detained
indefinitely and released only after the elections. So it is very clear from
all the information we have received that there was a huge presence of armed
security forces and there were no indications that they were protecting the
voters.

We have learnt of quite a lot of intimidation and the executive is now
looking at all the facts so that we would review the basis for an election
petition for Upper Saloum.

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