The Minister of Information and Communication Infrastructure Ebrahim Sillah says the National People's Party (NPP) will not be intimidated by the allegations that they are registering non-Gambians to obtain Gambian voter's card, adding that December 4th will be the 'Judgement Day' on the outcome of the elections.
Sillah, who did not mention any political party claimed these are strategies employed by some people knowing they would be defeated come December 4th.
"I think some people are laying the fertile ground now for their eventual defeat and as a result, they are going to use some of these allegations that the party was voted in by non-Gambians," Sillah claimed. "But judgement day is December 4th."
Minister Sillah, while speaking on the West Coast Radio, believes no one could stop some people making these allegations, he said they will not be intimidated by these comments.
"Remember most of the people making these allegations actually are those also who have all along been saying this type of thing that foreigners are supporting the president also the government.
"So you cannot stop them from saying these things, genuine Gambians know that this is not true and you don't expect us to come here and be intimidated by these types of comments to the point that we will actually follow their demands no! As far as the rules are there nobody who is not a Gambian can even get a Gambian voter's card."
Journalist cum politician Sillah said it is senseless to debate about the issue of NPP registering non-Gambians to vote in the upcoming elections.
"As if it is even true that NPP is bringing in non-Gambians to register here. This debate in itself is senseless in that it does not help in any way other than to populate the atmosphere with all the unnecessary rumour that is going on that people are registering non-Gambians."
Sillah categorically denied such allegations, while claiming it is not possible for any non-Gambian to vote.
He claimed some supporters have confronted people questioning their nationality even though these people have documents to prove their citizenship.
It is up to the Independent Electoral Commission to ensure that non-Gambians are not registered during the national voter registration exercise. So far according to the CSO Coalition on elections in the Gambia, the commission is doing a great job.
However, it is not impossible for non-Gambians to get Gambian documents meant for only Gambians.
It is alleged that former President Yahya Jammeh brought in people from the southern Senegalese Cassamance region to vote during elections.
Before the 2016 presidential election, about 200,000 voters cards were allegedly found in the APRC bureau before they were burnt down to ashes.
It is an open secret that non-Gambians have over the years obtained national documents without due process.
The Barrow led government has had its share of the menace as investigation showed non-Gambians obtained diplomatic passports during his ongoing tenure as president.
The attestation according to experts is the biggest problem facing the IEC in the current voter registration exercise.
Alkalolu attests for people as members of their community without rigorous scrutiny availing the platform for non-qualified people to be registered and eventually vote during elections.
Section of the population is calling for electoral reforms that will repeal the attestation clause as a determinant document to obtaining a voter's card.
Source: The Point
