This is another reminder to the three tenors at the IEC, that they manipulate the By-elections at a risk to their lives. The people are not going to tolerate any crap from Jammeh or the IEC. The role of the IEC is to conduct free and fair elections, and not to be the lapdog of Yaya Jammeh. Yaya might just be ready for the Gambian civil war if he thinks that this is going to be business as usual. He better be ready to kill a whole lot of folks if that is what he is banking on, and be killed in return. It is only the voters that are going to decide the verdict and it better be free and fare. It is now in the hands of Gambians both at home and abroad to decide their faith. If you do not vote for NADD, then you must live with the arrangement you chose. If you do not send a dime to NADD for your own reasons, then it would be dishonest of us to comment on what obtains next, because it would be by our own doing. If you cannot even invest $50 for your own liberation then you deserve anything that is lobbed your way, and trust me, it is not going to be pretty. We, the people are going to determine the outcome of this by-elections, so where do you hang your hat? If it is on NADD, then vote for them and contribute to their financial campaign. Its now in our hands folks. Acid Test For IEC The Independent (Banjul) EDITORIAL September 12, 2005 Posted to the web September 12, 2005 Banjul The September 29th by-elections in Jarra West, Serekunda Central, Upper Saloum and Wuli West are no doubt an acid test for the handpicked electoral commission members. Their credibility or true colour would be judged by the way and manner they coordinate the affairs before, during and after the elections. Since the appointment of the new executive, some political pundits have questioned the impartiality of a commission whose officers include a former Secretary of State for Agriculture, Sulayman Sait Mboob. It would not surprise people if such a person bends the law principally to satisfy the interest of the President or his party, even if it means at the detriment of his opponents. Why would the President sack Mboob and blame him for inefficiency, only to re-appoint him as Deputy Chairman in such an important institution like IEC? Exactly 17 days before the voters in the four constituencies go to the poll, it seems the IEC officers have shown their true colour to Gambians. Like the saying goes "people who cannot sustain the pressure in the kitchen should quit." If the IEC executives think they cannot remain impartial during elections, let them resign now before they become the cause of endless brouhaha in our society. If the startling revelations by NADD executive members are anything to go by, then the electoral commission that is constitutionally mandated to remain independent or neutral has gone off the track. It shows that we have a bunch of people who are bent on conducting behind-the-scene-activities just to allow the ruling party to sweep the polls in the by-elections. This is not only an affront to our democracy and civilisation, but also a betrayal of the highest order. But with the frequent press conferences and communiqu廥 being issued shows that the elections are crucial in every sense. The IEC seems to be businesslike by quickly issuing the list of the countrywide total voter transfer and replacements to the public. That is a good move. However, the commissioners have failed to debunk the allegations of massive illegal voter transfer, which might prompt some people to conclude that the story has carried some element of truth. Relevant Links West Africa Legal and Judicial Affairs Human Rights Gambia What should be clear is that elections cannot be won on a polling day. It is a process whose every step counts. In fact, without a level playing field, elections don't worth taking place. What is the essence of organising an election or race when cheating has begun before it kicks off? The IEC officers need to inform Gambians about these allegations that succeed in throwing mistrust and trauma in the opposition camp. Otherwise, Gambian voters would come to a conclusion that they are serving the interest of President Jammeh and his party, instead of public interest. No matter the tightness of their hands, commissioners should delve into allegations of pre-poll malpractices and condemn where necessary. Or they don't want to bit the finger that feeds them. 中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中 To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/CGI/wa.exe?S1=gambia-l To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask] 中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中