Gambiaj.com – (KANIFING, THE GAMBIA) – The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) on Tuesday opened nominations for presidential candidates ahead of The Gambia’s December 5, 2026 election, with the first two aspirants to appear at the Commission encountering procedural setbacks.
Independent presidential aspirant Salieu Jallow submitted his nomination documents but arrived without the required cash deposit, while Alliance for Progressive Citizens (APC) leader Modou Lamin Sima faced a separate hurdle after presenting photocopies instead of original citizenship documents.
Speaking to journalists at the IEC headquarters in Kanifing after submitting his documents, Jallow attributed the absence of the required payment to a misunderstanding over the nomination procedure.
He said his team had expected the Commission to issue a bank slip that would allow them to make the payment at a financial institution, rather than requiring aspirants to arrive with the cash.
“The issue maybe is a misunderstanding. We thought that we’ll be here and then we’ll be given a bank slip so that we can go and pay into the bank rather than coming with the cash, so this is why we did not come with the cash but it will be paid,” he said.
Jallow said his decision to contest the presidency was motivated by his concern about the country’s direction and his desire to address challenges facing ordinary Gambians.
He identified youth unemployment, corruption and national security as among his main priorities, arguing that the country needed to be put back on track.
“We want to put the country on track and create jobs for young people like me. We want to fight corruption, we want to ensure that the country is secure and many other things,” he said.
Describing his candidacy as an attempt to represent struggling Gambians, Jallow claimed that more than 80 per cent of the population faced difficulties making ends meet.
Asked whether he expected to secure nomination, he said the decision rested with the IEC, insisting that his responsibility was to submit the necessary documents. He nevertheless expressed confidence in his chances, claiming to have the backing of more than 5,000 supporters.
Meanwhile, APC leader Modou Lamin Sima, the second aspirant to arrive at Election House, encountered difficulties over his citizenship documentation.
The IEC Chairman informed Sima that the Commission required original copies of the relevant documents, warning that his nomination could be rejected if he failed to comply with the requirements of the Elections Act.
Sima is expected to return with the original documents before the nomination period closes on November 14.
The nomination exercise, running from November 3 to 14, is a crucial stage in the electoral calendar, allowing presidential aspirants to formally present their credentials before the Commission determines their eligibility to contest the December 5 election.
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