25 Presidential Aspirants Collect Nomination Forms Ahead of December Election

By Makutu Manneh

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has issued nomination forms to 25 prospective candidates seeking to contest The Gambia’s presidential election scheduled for December 5, 2026.

The commission disclosed the figures during a stakeholders’ forum held on Thursday, October 22, revealing that 12 of the forms were collected by political parties, while the remaining 13 went to prospective independent candidates.

The Gambia currently has 27 registered political parties, according to the IEC.

The commission said it would publish the timetable for the submission of presidential nomination papers next week.

Under the planned schedule, aspirants will have a 10-day window to submit their nomination papers, followed by a two-day period to address any deficiencies in their submissions.

The collection of nomination forms marks an early step in the electoral process, with prospective candidates still required to meet the commission’s nomination requirements before being cleared to contest the presidency.