As they say in Mandinko, “Leero sutuyata tongo laa”, we can therefore say that the National Assembly election is just at the corner. It is no longer a matter of months, but a little over one month to go to the polls.
Infact ever since the electoral calendar was released by the Independent Electoral Commission recently, we have begun to see a rise in the country’s political temperature. Political activities are ongoing – in pubic and underground.
This is an occasion, which the ruling APRC never waits to be called upon. As usual, they are making the most of the time and their abundant resources to galvanise for votes. Whether or not they will replicate their unprecedented Nov.24 presidential elections victory is a matter of time.
But, we have also seen the reviving of political activities by the opposition parties – an indication that they are undaunted once again, by the devastating presidential race.
They have lost embarrassingly to incumbent Yahya Jammeh. But even months before the presidential polls, for most Gambians, the race for State House was a forgone conclusion.
But contrary to what president Jammeh and his supporters take pride-in to be the result of their victory, such as the massive infrastructural developments; building of more schools even though the standards remains unacceptably low; building more hospitals even though there is medical shortages, there is more to the win.
To simply put it, the Nov.24 presidential election  was not fair because the playing field was never level enough to allow all the players in the field to play.  
Key among them is the gross abuse of incumbency. There is no division between what should be rendered unto party politics and what should be rendered unto state.
 Public offices funded by tax payers should not sponsor a political party, but they were seen doing so. The army, the police, the immigration and other security services should be neutral, but they are never during the presidential election.
These are violations of the electoral code. We save the rest of the electoral anomalies for now, but hopes that government will move to address them ahead of the March 29.
For the electorates, please vote for candidates who have the interest of your constituency at heart and not for candidates who are just there to fill their pockets.
From 2007 to date, we have seen some National Assembly members who did only wasted the votes of their people by not effectively contributing during debates in the Assembly, but would not even go to their constituencies for months.
They are normally seen in town driving fancy cars at the expense of their people. Travelling overseas and receiving fat salaries when they should have been busy at their various constituencies with important matters. Definitely there is no need to call names. But honestly, some members have to go for Christ sake!
Interestingly enough, some did not even take any development to their constituencies until recently when they knew very well that the year 2012 is an electioneering year, they started moving heaven and earth looking for so-called projects in the name of their constituency. Chai!
We don’t need a House where members will only be saying yes to anything that comes their way. We need a House where members will thoroughly scrutinize bills and work for the interest of their people and not an individual. Five years is not five days. It is therefore paramount for the electorate to vote in competent candidates not based on any tribal or religious lines.
Together we can build The Gambia.