Salieu Jallow Files Presidential Nomination Documents, Pledges to Fight Corruption and Create Jobs

By Pa Modou Cham

BANJUL, The Gambia – Independent presidential aspirant Salieu Jallow has submitted his nomination credentials to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) ahead of The Gambia’s December 2026 presidential election, pledging to tackle corruption, create employment opportunities and address the economic challenges facing ordinary Gambians.

Jallow, who describes himself as a young educator, said his decision to contest the presidency was motivated by his love for the country and concerns over what he considers the wrong direction of national development.

Speaking to journalists after submitting his documents to the IEC on Tuesday, he said his ambition was to put the country back on track, improve national security and create opportunities for young people.

“I am a young person. I am an educator, and I love my country. The way the country is going, we all know it is not going in the right direction. We want to put the country on track,” Jallow said.

He identified job creation, the fight against corruption and national security as some of the priorities of his proposed political agenda.

The aspirant also said his candidacy seeks to represent what he described as the struggling class, particularly people finding it difficult to make ends meet.

“We are representing the struggling class, people who are struggling to make ends meet. These are the people we are representing, and they are more than 80 per cent of the population,” he said.

However, Jallow’s submission did not immediately translate into a confirmed nomination, as some requirements were still outstanding.

He explained that his team had expected the IEC to issue a bank payment slip to enable them to deposit the required cash rather than bringing the money directly to the Commission. He said arrangements would be made to complete the payment into the IEC’s account.

According to Jallow, his team also has to finalise evidence of the required D1 million deposit, sign the asset declaration and complete the submission of 10,000 supporting signatures.

He acknowledged that the final decision on whether he would be nominated rests with the IEC, adding that his team would continue working to fulfil the outstanding requirements.

“We can only give them our documents so that they will review them. The decision is with them, not us. We cannot decide whether we will be nominated or not. It is up to the IEC,” he said.

Jallow’s submission marks a step in his bid to enter the presidential race, although his candidacy remains subject to the IEC’s verification and approval of all nomination requirements.