>From: Asbjørn Nordam <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list <[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: Foroyaa, election matters/interview Roberts etc >Date: Sat, 6 Oct 2001 15:08:05 +0200 > >Friends, may I as the ignorant person I am ask you: > >has the IEC declared 4 or 5 candidates has fulfilled the election decree >and are nominated for the election ? > >Where can an ordinary gambian see f.in. the candidate lists 5000 voters >names ? Are all 25.000 names controlled, and how are they controlled ? that >they are 25000 individuals, and with 200 x 5 from every administrative area >? Is it "voters" or "registered voters", who can sign ? >With 5 party- candidates that means that 1000 individual voters from each >administrative area must have signed up. Is that realistic ? >If I was in the Gambia to morrow, where will I go to see, control this ? > >Can some one enlighten me a bit here please. > >Regards Asbjørn Nordam > > > > > > From: Foroyaa <[log in to unmask]> > > Subject: FOROYAA Burning Issues > > > > > >> The Presidential Candidate In The Making > >> The Independent Electoral Commission has established 18th October 2001 as > >> the date for the nomination of presidential candidates. > >> Foroyaa has reliably gathered that the APRC, The UDP, The NCP and PDOIS > >> have picked nomination forms. The NRP leader has already declared that he > >> is going on a campaign. > >> The purpose for taking the forms is to satisfy Section 42 subsection (2) > >> of the Elections Decree which sates that "A Candidates for election to the > >> office of president shall be nominated in the prescribed form of part A of > >> schedule 4, by not less than 5000 voters whose names appear in the register > >> of voters with at least two hundred voters being drawn from each > >> administration area". Between now and the 18th of September 2001 it is > >> likely that political parties will be sending those who are interested in > >> their candidate being nominated for the presidential elections around to > >> get people to fill the forms. Political parties should explain very clearly > >> what the nomination papers are all about. It is absolutely essential for > >> the IEC to sensitise the public on such nomination papers. Some people are > >> claiming that registration of voters is taking place. Others feel that they > >> are being tricked to explain who they support before the election. It > >> should be clear to people that this is a legal requirement which is > >> designed to short list presidential candidates. If one cannot get five > >> thousand votes in a presidential election then one would not see the need > >> to waste ones time to seek the mandate of the people. In actual fact, two > >> mechanisms are utilised to short list candidates. One is money and the > >> other is the number of nominators. It goes without say that the more money > >> is utilised the more an electoral system becomes undemocratic  and corrupt. > >> The best mechanism is to rely on the number of nominators. In the Gambia a > >> presidential candidate has to deposit 10,000 dalasis. Section 47 paragraph > >> (a) of the constitution states that " A candidate for election to the > >> office of president shall, on or before nomination day- > >> (a) satisfy the commission that his or her nomination is supported by not > >> less than five thousand registered voters consisting of not less than two > >> hundred from each administrative area, as signed by their signatures or > >> otherwise;" > >> Paragraph (b) adds that the candidate shall: > >> "deposit with the commission such sum as may be prescribed by the Elections > >> Decree or any Act of the National Assembly replacing or amending the > >> decree, which shall be returned if he or she receives not less than forty > >> per cent of the valid votes cast at the election." > >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L >Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html >You may also send subscription requests to [log in to unmask] >if you have problems accessing the web interface and remember to write your full name and e-mail address. >----------------------------------------------------------------------------