At last, the government of the day and the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has announced that November 7th is the D-Day for GDC and NPP, which way the votes will go, the swing is anybody’s guess.
What is important in the first place is to establish why the by-elections? And the answer is that there is a by-election because the former member of Niamina West constituency Honorable Demba Sowe dies sometimes in February 2020 and he was a Gambia Democratic Party (GDC) sitting member.
If there is any incumbency, then it is the GDC, which are an incumbent and not the NPP, who are just coming into an election arena for the first time.
However before we go any further here is a bit of statistics in the Niamina West constituency. There are a total of 4375 voters that the two need to share and whoever has the largest share of the votes will emerge winner of the election.
In the 2016 Presidential elections Adama Barrow scored 752 votes, former President Jammeh who was the incumbent, then scored 775 whiles Mama Kandeh of the GDC scored 1526 of course winning in the constituency.
In the 2017 National Assembly elections, the late honorable Demba Sowe of the GDC scored 1434 votes whiles the NRP candidate Malick Sowe, scored 1197 voted making the NRP the loser and the GDC winner.
In this by-election, the GDC’s candidate Yerro Jallow whiles the NPP with the support of NRP the former losers put up Birom Sowe, again it is two contestants , contesting the by-elections.
As for the NPP, who has the backing of President Barrow , who once scored only 752 votes is facing honorable Mama Kandeh who is backing the GDC candidate have on record scoring 1434 votes. Once again we ask the question, which way the votes will swing in favor of a winner is anyone’s guess.
