BANJUL, Nov 17 (NNN-Xinhua) — Politicians in The Gambia have been making last-minute promises to convince the electorates to vote for them as the country gears up for the Dec 4 presidential election to determine who would govern the nation for the next five years.
The Independent Electoral Commission has confirmed six candidates to compete for the presidency following a long week of nomination which began early this month. It is arguably the most crowded election since the country’s independence in 1965.
Adama Barrow, who is seeking re-election as the leader of the National People’s Party, has promised to continue bringing more infrastructural development.
“I have one main priority for this country — that is development. Basically, if you have development, you have everything,” he said.
His main challenger, Ousainou Darboe, leader of the United Democratic Party, has promised to fight corruption. Darboe served under Barrow as a foreign minister and later vice president between 2017 and 2019, and was dismissed from the government.
Halifa Sallah, leader of People’s Democratic Organization for Independence and Socialism, one of the country’s oldest political parties, has pledged to end poverty if elected president. The 68-year-old parliamentarian, representing the country’s largest town Serekunda, said he will provide market and storage facilities to female producers as a way of empowering them and relieving poverty.
Abdoulie Jammeh, whose party — the National Unity Party — has entered the presidential race for the first time since its formation, said his priority is to address the country’s security. “If you look at the drivers of our economy, for example right now we are in tourist season, tourism cannot thrive without good security,” he said. — NNN-XINHUA