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Momodou
Denmark
11765 Posts |
 Posted - 25 Jan 2007 : 13:01:14
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IEC SET FOR TOMORROW'S POLLS
By Bubacarr K. Sowe
In a bid to show its preparedness for tomorrow's parliamentary elections, the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) on Monday held a briefing session for domestic and international observers.
Mustapha Carayol, chairman of the IEC said out of the nine registered political parties, only four have put up candidates for the January 25 National Assembly Elections. Mr. Carayol said that the APRC has put up candidates in all 48 constituencies and five of which have gone unopposed.
According to him, the five unopposed candidates are consequently declared elected to serve as National Assembly Members for the Foni Bondali, Foni Brefet, Foni Jarrol, Foni Kansala and Kantora constituencies.
He also indicated that the UDP has put up 26 candidates, NRP has eight, NADD has five, and there are nine independent candidates. "A total of 99 candidates will vie for the 43 remaining seats in the National Assembly," Carayol said.
The I.E.C chairman explained that out of 989 polling stations across the country, only 930 will be used in tomorrow's polls.
Carayol said: "Banjul Administrative Area 30 polling stations, Kanifing Administrative Area 182 polling stations, Brikama Administrative Area 203 polling stations, Kerewan Administrative Area 141 polling stations, Mansakonko Administrative Area 80 polling stations, Janjanbureh Administrative Area 167 polling Stations and Basse Administrative Area 127 polling stations." He added that out of the 670,336 total numbers of registered voters, 628, 160 voters will go to the polls tomorrow.
Carayol explained that the IEC, having drawn lessons from the presidential polls, has recruited trained and employed ninety Assistant Returning Officers to take care of the forty-three constituencies across the country.
"There will be a counting center at each constituency. There are seven collation centers located at the I.E.C regional Offices, except in Mansakonko where the collation center will be at the Rural Development Institute. Three thousand one hundred and thirty three polling staff are contracted to render quality service to the voters, stake holders and partners at the polling stations," Mr. Carayol pointed out.
He also said that polling starts at 7 am and closes at 4pm, but that voters can still vote beyond 4pm if they were in the queue by 4pm.
Also speaking at the I.E.C briefing session was the Inspector General of Police, Musa Mboob. The IGP said that they have mounted a joint security force and two personnels will be deployed in every polling station.
Mr. Mboob indicated that the security offices are answerable to the presiding officers.
Other speakers at the forum included Malleh Sallah, IEC's Vice Chairman, Kawsu A. Ceesay, Chief Electoral Officer, Sambujang Njie, Director of Operations and Joseph Colley Director of Training, Communications and Public Affairs. Contributions and questions emerged from the audience.
Source: Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No. 010/2007, 24-25 January, 2007
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