The fairness of any contest is being questioned when the umpire is not legally appointed. The credibility of such a contest is undermined well before combatants enter the ring. It becomes frustrating and confusing when the illegally appointed umpire tweaks on the law. This is exactly the case of the Independent Electoral Commission Chairman Mustapha Carayol who has legally exhausted his mandate but continues to be at the helm. And to further put a slap on our faces, Mr. Carayol was allowed to sponsor an elecoral reform bill which males it practically impossible for the opposition to compete in the 2016 presidential polls.
President Yahya Jammeh must have kept Carayol for a reason, which among others, could be to smoothen his (Jammeh’s) re-election. If that is not the case, Gambians should ask why Mustapha Carayol is still on the job 11 months before the polls. Is Jammeh retaining him until he (Carayol) cleared the road? Mr. Jammeh’s motive remains suspicious. But one legal expert wrote to Kairo News providing evidence that Mustapha Carayol’s holding of office is purely illegal. Read the expert’s take on the issue below.
Mustapha Carayol has no lawful mandate. Constitutional time stipulation has lapsed and it is incredible this man is squatting in the position.
According to section 42(2) of the Constitution: “….. the members of the Commission shall be appointed for a period of seven years and may be reappointed for one further term”. Carayol is 100% ILLEGAL as Chair of the IEC. What that means is that all his actions are unlawful and of no effect. Like I said though law has no capacity for self-implementation and the owner of the country has no issue with unlawful conduct as long as it furthers his agenda.
Carayol is a shameless man whose conduct exemplifies the crisis of morality in the country. the main excuse is “I am doing my job” and people couldn’t care less whether that coincides with legality or not.
Some people want the opposition to drag Mustapha Carayol to court for conniving with tbe government to breed illegality. Such a legal fight will leave the courts in a quagmire as to whether a person illegally occupying public has the mandate to sponsor a bill.
Ends
Mustapha Carayol knows very well that his tenure at the IEC is no longer valid and any decisions he takes, as chairman, lacks legality..He should know therefore, that he is liable to prosecution in future, for his conduct and as an accessory to impunity…
He should also know, and should not be left in any doubts, that any state remuneration he continues to receive after the expiry of his valid tenure, are monies he is not entitled to, and may be required to pay back, with interest, under any new government after the APRC..
Now that registration of new voters have commenced, the reasons for Mr Carayol’s continued retention, as IEC chairman, may become apparent soon…
Foroyaa has reported that serial numbers on voter’s cards, which used to make monitoring of the registration exercise easy and possible (by recording the serial numbers of the first and last cards issued on each), have been removed from the new cards….The consequences of such an act of infamy is blatantly obvious for all to see…
The opposition must do all it needs to do, to ensure that the elections are not lost at the registration stage because the abandoning of the serial numbers is intended for a purpose..
Mr Carayol and people like him are a disgrace to our nation and the continent in general.It is such seemingly respectable, but utterly dishonest and contemptuous citizens, that have turned our continent into a breeding place for despots and embecilles of all sorts…
He, like the rest of them, should be made to answer for his role in what has become a national tragedy..
Mr carayol is indeed not only a disgrace to Gambian people but he is despicable , shameless , corrupt, selfish , greedy , unpatriotic , and criminal individual . He is dishonestly contributing to oppression of Gambians . Mr carayol as chairman of fraud IEC has the most important job for our nation peaceful existence as well as it’s socioeconomic development . For the past 22 years he has been equally responsible for corruption , human rights violations and mismanagement in The Gambia . Mr carayol is the chief deal maker for this evil leader whose preoccupation is to entrench himself in power and continuously loot our meager resources .
Yaya Jammeh is looking for trouble and he will regret why he provoked Gambians for 22 years. Little do dictators know when people will revolt, they always think it is business as usual until the STORM descend on them. Since they are pompus and arrogant noboby around them tells them the TRUTH and the fact is they never learn from other dictators downfall. They will never have the time to pack up and leave honorably.
‘Gluttony’ is derogative not, to a sycophant.
‘Carayol’s conduct exemplifies the crisis of morality in the country’ Is all said in just that one line.