Lawyer Abdoulie Fatty Urges IEC to Release Voter Data, Says Public Scrutiny Builds Electoral Confidence

By Seedy Jobe

The Secretary General of the Gambia Bar Association, Lawyer Abdoulie Fatty, has urged the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to release provisional voter registration data for public scrutiny, arguing that greater openness would strengthen confidence in the electoral process ahead of the December presidential election.

Speaking on the Dialectic Podcast, Mr. Fatty addressed the ongoing dispute over the IEC’s refusal to release the data, maintaining that the commission administers elections on behalf of Gambians and should not treat electoral information as its exclusive property.

“IEC are the umpire. They don’t own elections. But we have to applaud and appreciate doing it overall as umpires, but they don’t own the process,” he said.

He acknowledged the commission’s work but stressed that its authority comes with a responsibility to ensure public accountability.

Mr. Fatty noted that while the Elections Act provides for the release of the final voter register to political parties upon request, the current dispute concerns provisional data being examined by the revising courts.

He argued that unless the law expressly prohibits disclosure, the commission should consider releasing the information with appropriate safeguards and clear explanations of its preliminary status.

Using a banking analogy, Mr. Fatty compared the request to a customer seeking a bank statement, arguing that information held on behalf of others should be accessible to those entitled to examine it.

He warned that the ongoing standoff could erode public trust in the electoral process, particularly at a time when political parties and other stakeholders are raising questions about the voter register.

Mr. Fatty also pointed to the financial and technical support provided by international partners, including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the European Union, saying such assistance reinforces the need for accountability in election administration.

He further argued that access to relevant electoral records should extend beyond political parties to civil society organizations with a legitimate interest in examining the process.

According to him, independent scrutiny of public documents is an essential democratic safeguard, not an attempt to undermine the institutions responsible for administering elections.

While acknowledging the IEC’s legal and technical position, Mr. Fatty maintained that the ultimate purpose of electoral legislation is to produce credible outcomes that command public confidence.

He urged the commission to adopt a more accommodating approach to requests for information, arguing that releasing provisional data with appropriate qualifications would help resolve the dispute without compromising the integrity of the electoral process.