IEC Vice Chairman Pledges Timely Election Results, Warns Parties Against Premature Declarations

By Seedy Jobe

The vice chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission, Cherno Jallow, has assured Gambians that the commission is taking steps to prevent delays in announcing election results, saying lessons from previous elections are informing preparations for the next polls.

“Nobody will stop us from doing our job,” Mr. Jallow said, stressing that the law gives the IEC the authority to conduct elections and declare official results.

Speaking in an interview with Askanwi, Mr. Jallow acknowledged public concerns about delays in releasing election results, which he said can fuel speculation and mistrust. He said the commission was exploring ways to improve the speed and transparency of the process, including the possible digitalization of parts of the results system.

“We are working diligently to enhance how results are delivered and proclaimed,” he said.

Mr. Jallow said the commission recognizes that lengthy waits for results can create an information vacuum in which suspicions of manipulation can flourish. Concerns raised by voters, political parties and other stakeholders have been taken into account, he said, and the IEC intends to improve the process in future elections.

His comments come amid debate over whether political parties should announce results based on figures collected by their own polling agents before the IEC completes its official tabulation.

Mr. Jallow said the commission maintains regular communication with political parties and other election stakeholders and would use those channels to address concerns about premature declarations.

He urged political actors to exercise restraint and avoid actions that could undermine the country’s peace and stability. Political parties, he said, are important partners in the electoral process, and the IEC expects them to work with the commission toward elections that are peaceful, credible, inclusive, and transparent.

The commission does not need to “reprimand” political parties, Mr. Jallow said, describing the relationship instead as a partnership. But he insisted that the IEC would not be prevented from carrying out its constitutional responsibilities.

“Nobody will stop us from doing our job,” he said.

Mr. Jallow also responded to recent remarks attributed to Lamin Manneh of the United Democratic Party, who reportedly said the party would announce its own election results before the IEC.

The vice chairman said political parties may conduct their own vote tabulations, a practice that is common in elections elsewhere. But he drew a distinction between independently compiling figures from polling stations and formally declaring an election result.

Political parties, he said, do not have the legal authority to declare final election results. That responsibility rests with the IEC under the Constitution and the Elections Act.

In a presidential election, Mr. Jallow said, the IEC chairman serves as the returning officer responsible for declaring the official result. In National Assembly elections, that responsibility is exercised by the relevant election officials, including principal registration officers and regional returning officers.

Any figures released by political parties before an official declaration, he said, should therefore be understood as provisional results based on their own tabulations rather than the legally recognized outcome of the election.

Mr. Jallow cautioned political parties against presenting such figures in a way that could mislead supporters or provoke unrest, particularly in a closely contested election.

He said parties are free to collect and scrutinize results through their agents, but the ultimate authority to certify and declare the outcome remains with the IEC.

The commission, he added, intends to fulfill that responsibility without undue delay and in accordance with the law.