Africa Watchdog Demands Fair Elections in Gambia

The Africa Watchdog, led by coordinator Comrade Isaq Abdullahi, has called on The Gambia's Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to conduct credible presidential elections. In a statement from Benin City, Abdullahi emphasized that credible polls must be free from intimidation of political opponents.

He expressed concerns over rising political tensions in Gambia, particularly regarding allegations that campaign vehicles belonging to opposition presidential frontrunner Prince Ebrahim Sanyang were barred from entering the country from Senegal. Abdullahi noted that the founder of the Economic Freedom Fighters accused Gambian immigration officials of denying entry to six Senegalese technicians and vehicles supporting Sanyang's campaign without any written explanation or legal justification.

He reminded that the ECOWAS Protocol on Free Movement of Persons allows citizens of member states visa-free entry for visits up to 90 days, highlighting that both Senegal and The Gambia are signatories to this agreement aimed at promoting regional integration.