IEC Accepts Barrow, Darboe, Bensouda and Two Others for December 5 Presidential Election; Rejects Two Aspirants

Banjul, November 12, 2026 – The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has confirmed the eligibility of five presidential aspirants to contest The Gambia’s December 5, 2026 presidential election, while rejecting the nominations of two others over concerns relating to citizenship, educational qualifications and discrepancies in personal records.

Announcing the latest developments at a media briefing on Thursday, IEC Chairperson Joseph Colley said the nomination papers of Modou Lamin Sima of the Alliance of Progressive Citizens (APC), Isatou Touray, Talib Ahmed Bensouda of Unite, A.N.M. Ousainou Darboe of the United Democratic Party (UDP), and Adama Barrow of the National People’s Party (NPP) had been found in order and accepted.

The IEC, meanwhile, rejected the nomination of Gambia Labour Party aspirant Bokusa Dukury after establishing that he had publicly acknowledged holding dual citizenship. Colley further disclosed that the candidate’s senior secondary school certificate had been found unauthentic by both the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the Gambia Senior Secondary School.

The nomination of Kebba Bojang, an aspiring candidate of the National Democratic Party (NDP), was also rejected following discrepancies in his date of birth.

According to Colley, records from WAEC and the West African Senior Secondary School indicated that the candidate was born on March 15, 1995, while the identity document submitted to the IEC recorded his date of birth as March 15, 1975.

The briefing also provided updates on several other aspirants whose nomination papers have been processed but who are still required to meet additional requirements, particularly the submission of signatures from registered voters.

For the National Builders Party aspirant, Ansu Sanneh, Colley said additional signatures had been submitted. The candidate still has outstanding requirements of 144 signatures in the Banjul Administrative Area, 23 in Basse and 379 nationally. Further verification of the candidate’s citizenship is also ongoing.

Independent aspirant Bakary K. Badjie has submitted additional signatures but is still required to provide 125 signatures in Banjul, 36 in Kanifing, 110 in Kerewan, 127 in Mansakonko, 44 in Janjanbureh and 91 in Basse, in addition to 2,310 signatures nationally.

Ebrima Tabora Manneh is required to provide 57 additional signatures in Kanifing, eight in Mansakonko and three in Janjanbureh, as well as 1,507 signatures nationally. The IEC said the additional signatures submitted by the aspirant were being processed.

The Commission also reported that the nomination papers of independent aspirant Lamin J Darbo had been processed, with 840 signatures recorded nationally. However, verification of his renunciation of British citizenship remains ongoing.

Almameh Gibba, another independent aspirant, was also reported to have submitted signatures from Banjul, Mansakonko, Kerewan and Basse. The Commission is continuing to process the submissions.

Meanwhile, independent aspirant Papa Secka has paid the required D1 million nomination deposit and had his nomination papers processed. He is required to provide additional signatures, including 16 in Banjul, 22 in Kanifing, 165 in Mansakonko, 123 in Janjanbureh and 84 in Basse, alongside the stated national requirement of 3,062 signatures.

Colley said the nomination process commenced on November 3 and will close on November 14. He noted that, as of November 10, the Commission had not received new nomination papers from aspiring candidates, apart from corrections and additional documents requested from those already in the process.

The IEC Chairperson said the Commission would continue providing updates as it concludes the examination of nomination papers and supporting documents ahead of the December 5 presidential election.