In less than 24 hours from now, some 377,857 Gambians out of a total number of 670,336 registered voters are expected to go to the polls tomorrow to elect their councillors throughout the country and Mayors for the Banjul and Kanifing Administrative areas. Of a total number of 114 wards across the country, elections will be held in 59 wards of the seven administrative areas of the country namely Banjul, Kanifing, Brikama, Kerewan, Mansakonko, Janjangbureh and Basse.

These statistics were furnished to the press yesterday at press briefing by the Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission, Mr Mustapha Carayol. Mr Carayol further revealed the distribution of 556 of the 989 polling stations in the country as follows:

The Banjul Administrative Area, Chairman Carayol went on, consists of 30 polling stations for Mayoral elections, out of which, he disclosed, only 17 would be used for the councillorship elections. He added that the Kanifing Administrative Area, which consists of 182 polling stations, would only need 157 polling stations for the councillorship elections.

“Having drawn lessons from the past elections, the IEC has already recruited, trained and employed 75 Assistant Returning Officers to work in the 59 wards countrywide,” he said, adding that there would be 33 counting centres.

Speaking on the observation aspect of the elections, the IEC boss intimated that in a bid to ensure free, fair and transparent Local Government elections, the electoral body has already accredited a total number of 266 observers, 24 of whom are international observers.

It is to be noted that out of the 114 wards across the country 55 wards are unopposed, thus giving the ruling APRC an early lead in the elections which many believe will be keenly contested.

Polling stations are expected to open by 7 a.m. and close at 4.p.m. across the country.