Culled from The Independent

"Jammeh violated election decree"

The outspoken National Reconciliation Party leader Hamat Bah has accused
President Jammeh of violating the election decree, which forbids the use of
money to induce voters in all manner of Gambian election. He also blamed
President Jammeh for "embarking on money politicking, thereby preventing our
party from winning the presidential seat."

Speaking in an exclusive interview with The Independent recently Bah claimed
Jammeh was able to win a wide margin because "he embarked on the politicking
of money during the campaign," which he said was in contravention of the
election decree. The NRP leader noted that while on his countrywide campaign
tour, he visited a village where he was told that the people refused to
accept the money given to them by the president saying they could not be
bought.

Asked whether he has raised the issue with the IEC, Bah replied that his
party has no plans for such actions as they "have bigger things to look
after." "The election is over and we d not want to bring problems into the
country" the NRP leader who claims to have no regrets in contesting the
presidency said. He also attributed the registration of non-Gambians during
the registration exercise as another factor that contributed to his defeat.

On why he took so long to congratulate President Jammeh Mr. Bah said that he
was waiting to get in touch with his colleagues "who were up-country at the
time the results were released." He assured President Jammeh of his support
in the implementation of his party programmes despite the differences in
their political manifestoes. "I hope President Jammeh's next five years term
would be positive but I believe that Jammeh should learn from his mistakes
in order to make progress" he said.

Asked what plans he has now that the presidential election was over, the NRP
boss said that he will be working on his 2006 presidential election plans
and address his party's shortcomings to put up a stiff challenge for the
presidency in five year's time.



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