Unfortunately, after all the tax-payer sponsored high expenditures made by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC); in terms of the purchasing and installing of equipment for the digital registration and voting system, among others, the November 24 presidential elections ended in an unprecedented controversy.

Controversial in the sense that even though IEC declared incumbent APRC’s Yahya Jammeh the winner; and both local and international observers reported that the polls were held in a peaceful atmosphere, the results were nonetheless rejected by the opposition.

Matter-of-fact, this development followed ECOWAS Commission’s decision not to send election observers into the country on grounds that there was no level playing field, hence the election would be neither free nor fair.

Indeed, Gambia government was not alone in disapproving ECOWAS boycotting of the polls. Some individual Gambians and even non-Gambians did not support the move, especially coming at a time when we cannot have an anti-climax.

Yet, none including the furious lawmakers as well as the foreign affairs ministry, seem to dispute the substance of the allegations made by the ECOWAS commission.

None refutes ECOWAS commission’s claim that there was an intimidated electorate cowed by an oppressive regime.

Who dares put up a defence against this hard-fact when no one is oblivious to president Jammeh’s use of threats and carrot or stick punishment such as: ‘I will rule as long as I want to,’ ‘neither elections nor coup can unseat me’ and ‘if you do not vote for me, I will not construct your roads.’ This is as if the funds are from his personal purse.

ECOWAS commission’s claim that there was unacceptable media bias was as well true as it is ntrue that there was gross abuse of incumbency.

These are infact claims that featured glaringly in all the honest reports that were published by various election observers and monitors after the election.

Apart from the ECOWAS saga, we have also seen for the first time, the opposition party in Gambia to reject the election results. This is unprecedented.

Now that the Independent Electoral Commission has released the calendar for the National Assembly elections, we hope that those rough edges will be smoothened in order to have a non-controversial parliamentary elections.

We also hope that the opposition parties should now recover fully from their devastating race for State House and devise strategies for the country to have a representative and responsive National Assembly come March 2011.

This should be a parliament that would not capitulate to the executive and would not pass bills at the caucus instead of the chambers. It should be a National Assembly that shall hold the executive accountable and check its policies and programmes.

Equally, the upcoming National Assembly election present a challenge on the electorate to vote into office people who will serve the interest of the public rather than their individualist selfish interest.

Our votes are our power, so let us entrust it with trustworthy and responsible persons. We should look at a candidate’s merit, rather than his or her party affiliation. The failure of the National Assembly will spare no one as the policies and laws they approve directly affect us.  

We also hope that national women groups will encourage meritious women to muster courage and appear forward to take up the challenge. There is a need for more female representatives as there are only two elected females and two nominated, totaling 4 out of 53. The political parties, too, have a stake in ensuring that there are more female representatives come March 2012.