The Supreme Court of Gambia has dismissed an opposition challenge of President Adama Barrow’s reelection last year.
Ousainou Darboe, leader of the United Democratic Party (UDP) who received around 28% of the vote had disputed the results of the December 4 poll in which Barrow won 53% of the vote. Darboe claimed there had been irregularities but did not provide any evidence to support the allegation.
According to Supreme Court Chief Justice Hassan B. Jallow “the UDP failed to comply with the requirement of Rule 11 of the Election Petition Rule, which required that you file a motion of petition and security.”
Darboe did not concede and said Tuesday’s rejection of his appeal was a legal technicality more than a defeat. “We have not lost anything because the appeal was not rejected on the basis of merit but on a mere technicality. We should be proud of ourselves for what we have done and will continue to do for the country,” he said in a statement on the party’s Facebook page.
Barrow was declared winner with 53% of votes cast in the West African nation’s first election in 27 years not to include Yahya Jammeh, a dictator that ruled Gambia for more than two decades.
Featured Image Credit: Valery Sharifulin/TASS
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