Veteran Gambian politician and Secretary General of the People's Democratic Organisation for Independence and Socialism (PDOIS), Halifa Sallah has said that members of PDOIS are not satisfied with the country's electoral system.
Speaking at a press conference held by the party last Thursday, following the councillorship elections, Sallah said: "The electoral system that we have, which allows the type of voter apathy that we have is a system that is not fit for a republic.
"It is our duty as a party to educate, to ensure that people vote, but it is not our responsibility alone," he added.
"Gambia belongs to all of us. It is the duty of every Gambian citizen to ensure that we are a system that will enable our people to take charge of their destinies, and that is inconceivable unless they go and get registered to be voters and unless they participate in all the elections in full numbers," he stressed.
"You will be surprised at the results when you see them, that only a quarter of the electorates happen to have gone to the polls. Who has a clear mandate? That is the question."
"We call this press conference to tell you that we are not satisfied with our system, and we are committed to its transformation. We want to do so without partisan prejudices," MrSallah said.
Honourable Sallah, thus called for a national conversation on how to reform the electoral system, so that people ultimately elected to offices will deserve to be there and will do nothing but to use that office to promote general welfare.
