I am convinced more than ever that Yaya is a mental
case and I mean it.  This guy is sick and should get
some help before its too late!

--- "Jeng, Beran" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Outcry Over Sacking Of Independent Electoral
> Commission Chairman
>
> The Independent (Banjul)
>
> December 15, 2000
>
> Banjul
>
> General public outcry and condemnation have followed
> the sacking of the Chairman
> of The Independent Electoral Commission Bishop
> Solomon Tilewa Johnson and one of
> the Commissioners Sajar Fatty on Tuesday.
>
> When contacted Wednesday Bishop Johnson confirmed
> that he received a letter from
> the Office of the President indicating his removal
> from office as chairman of
> the IEC. He said no reason was advanced for his
> removal. He would not however
> comment any further except to say that he was
> examining the constitutional
> legality of his sacking.
>
> Sajar Fatty when contacted said he was not aware of
> his own sacking.
>
> Reacting to the removals, the leader of the United
> Democratic Party, Ousainou
> Darbo called it a blatant disregard of the
> constitutional provisions, which he
> said is a clear manifestation of government
> interference with the independence
> of the IEC. "They have no respect for the
> constitution and it is therefore time
> that Gambians took their stand and do everything
> through legitimate and lawful
> means to ensure that such arbitrary misuse of power
> ceases", he remarked. He
> condemned Bishop Johnson's removal as "invalid and
> unconstitutional".
>
> In his turn, the leader of the National
> Reconciliation Party Hamat Bah expressed
> sadness over it but said he was not surprised by the
> move in the sense that the
> regime cannot tolerate independent thinking. He said
> such things would tarnish
> further the "already battered image of the regime
> both nationally and
> internationally" .He said his party was generally
> satisfied with the performance
> of Bishop Johnson "as he always demonstrated his
> independent stance".
>
> The NRP leader said he was particularly impressed by
> Bishop Johnson's initiative
> of addressing party differences by setting up an
> inter-party committee, which
> was supposed to be inaugurated the day after he was
> dismissed.
>
> "It seems President Jammeh has lost complete control
> of events and he is driving
> this country deeper and deeper into an untenable
> situation," Mr. Bah said.
>
> A senior member of the IEC expressed shock following
> news of the Bishop's
> sacking. "We are all bemused and we have no idea
> what will happen next," he
> said.
>
> Bishop Johnson was appointed chairman of the IEC in
> 1997 after its
> transformation from the Provisional Independent
> Electoral Commission (PIEC) in
> which he was vice chairman. Since he took over the
> IEC chairmanship, the
> Commission has been vigorously asserting its
> independence. It recently went to
> the Supreme Court seeking a declaration to conduct
> local government elections in
> the absence of the long-awaited Local Government
> Act, in which the court ruled
> in their favour on the day the IEC chairman was
> sacked. He was recently quoted
> as saying that the IEC was not going to tolerate any
> manipulation from any
> quarters and that they were going to treat the
> country's politicians as adults
> in the forthcoming elections.
>
> According to the 1997 constitution section 42 (6),
> the President may remove a
> member of the Commission from office; (a) for
> inability to perform the function
> of his or her office whether arising from infirmity
> of mind or body or from any
> other cause; (b) if any circumstance arises, which
> would have disqualified him
> or her from appointment to the Commission, or (c)
> for misconduct. But before
> removing a member, the president shall appoint a
> tribunal of three judges of a
> superior court to enquire into the matter and report
> on the fact. A member of
> the commission shall be entitled to appear and be
> legally represented before the
> tribunal.
>
> With the sacking of the Bishop and Sajar Fatty,
> coming shortly after the death
> of Mrs Fanny Freeman and the resignation of the
> other Commissioner Fatma Baldeh,
> there is now only one Commissioner left with the
> IEC, who is Alhaji Mustapha
> Carayol. Recently also, the logistics officer Malleh
> Sallah tendered his
> resignation, thus leaving the IEC very much
> understaffed.
>
>
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