Independent Presidential Aspirant
By Landing Ceesay
The independent Presidential Aspirant said no individual or political party should be blamed for Gambia’s problems.
“The problem we have was not created by one individual or one political party. It is a collective responsibility; we all contributed to creating the problem that we have. It is, therefore, necessary that we all come together as a nation, put things together and work as a nation to change our conditions. The Gambian conditions must be changed, but only the Gambians can do that. We are willing to look beyond political lines and the political divide. We are willing to look beyond tribes, we are willing to look beyond sex, we are willing to look at anything that differentiates us and recognise the fact that we are Gambian people. One people, one nation and we have the ability, and we have what it needs, and we must do it,” Tamsir M. Jasseh.
He added that the country has not achieved the change that the citizens voted for in the last presidential election.
“Five years ago we as a nation came together to vote for a change. However, we must at this time realise that we have not achieved the change we are yearning for. It is, therefore, necessary for people like me to step into the arena and try to bring the change we all so badly desire. If you look around there is nothing in this country but hopelessness, (and) poverty, disease, but there are tremendous potentials, especially in our youths. We need a leader that would come forward and harness these potentials- to harness this ability and transform our nation into what we want it to be like any other country in the world,” Jassey said.
On day 5 of the nomination, independent aspirant Tamsir M. Jasseh, the PDOIS leader, GANU, and GAP filed their papers between 9:30 am and 2:30 pm.
The nomination of presidential aspirants continues tomorrow at the Election House in Kanifing with the National People’s Party and two independent candidates- Essa Mbye Faal and Matarr Nyang scheduled to appear between 9:30 am and 2:30 pm.
The process would complete on Friday, and the details of the aspirants are on Saturday expected to be published for public scrutiny before the Electoral Commission would either accept or reject them.
For a successful nomination every aspirant should: be a citizen of The Gambia; attain a minimum age of thirty years; complete senior secondary school education; be ordinarily resident in The Gambia for the five years immediately preceding the election; be nominated by not less than five thousand voters whose names appeared in the register of voters with at least two hundred voters being drawn from each Administrative Area; present a sworn declaration of assets; present a tax clearance certificate; make payment of the deposit of Ten-thousand dalasi (D10, 000) as amended; have a representative symbol, colour and his/her photographs; be qualified as a voter under the Constitution and the Election Act may contest as an independent candidate in any election; shall abide by the code on election campaign ethics which the Commission may time to time prepare as a political party/candidate; and submit a manifesto which encourages the spirit of tolerance and multiculturalism
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