Coalition Of Progressive Gambians Tells IEC To Publish Full Voter Data By Friday

Civil Society group, Coalition of Progressive Gambians has joined the opposition UDP’s call for the Independent Electoral Commission IEC to publish the full voter data by this Friday.  

In A statement shared with The Standard, the group charged that the Commission’s continuous delay in publishing the data is “breeding suspicion, anxiety, and rumours” across the country.

“We urge the IEC to remember that perception is as important as reality and an election is only credible if the people believe it is credible, and that belief comes only when the IEC demonstrates beyond all doubt the principles enshrined in Section 42 of the Constitution; fairness, impartiality, and transparency. We therefore demand the unconditional release of the raw data and publication of the voter register. This is non-negotiable. Transparency should not come after results are announced,” the group said.

It went on to call on the IEC to publish the final, consolidated voter register, including the supplementary list to give political parties, observers, and citizens adequate time to scrutinise it. “What is done in secret breeds suspicion,” it warned.

According the group, the IEC “must not be seen to favour” any party including the ruling party, from handling the voter register to conducting the elections.

It observed that the current political tension is high and IEC must avoid being a catalyst for confrontation. The group pointed out that the December election is not just another election but a test of Gambia’s democratic maturity.