President Adama Barrow’s National People’s Party (NPP) has won majority of seats in Saturday’s councilloship elections following tight contested race with the leading opposition United Democratic Party (UDP).

According to the results released by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), NPP won the most seats (52) followed by UDP with 46 seats. Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC) won two seats; National Reconciliation Party (NRP) won four seats; Gambia Democratic Congress (GDC) won five seats; APRC no to Alliance won 10.

The People’s Democratic Organisation for Independence and Socialism (PDOIS) won one. This shows that the NPP alliance with NRP and APRC secured 58 total seats while the overall opposition, including independents, secured 63 seats.

On Saturday 15 April 2023, Gambians went to the polls to exercise their civic duty and elected councillors who would serve their wards in the coming years. However, a low voter turnout was registered across the country, indicating that out of the 962,157 total registered votes, only 243,899 voted. 

The IEC, which is entrusted with the country’s electoral process couldn’t give details of the total seats won by political parties and independent candidates, citing they are analysing and would inform the public when concluded.

Pa Modou Cham