Momodou Sabally has asked his supporters to accept the decision of Justice Francis Achibonga as he consults United Democratic Party leader Ousainou Darboe on the next course of action.  

Mr Sabally’s case against the Independent Electoral Commission was dismissed yesterday (1 April) at the High Court in Banjul “for lack of merit”. 

Justice Achibonga ruled that the Independent Electoral Commission’s returning officer rightly relied on section 90(1)(e) of the 1997 Constitution to reject Sabally’s nomination. 

After the High Court ruling, Mr Sabally told reporters that he accepted the judge’s decision. 

He said: “I respect his decision and I urge all my supporters to respect his decision. Does that mean we are going to give up on the fight for my rights that have been trampled upon by the Barrow administration? 

“Does that mean I am going to give up on the fight for the discrimination and oppression that’s meted against me? No. 

“But I want to do it legally and through the democratic channels that are made available by the constitution and laws of The Gambia. I will never give up on that.”

Sabally, a former aide and minister of ex-president Yahya Jammeh, was banned from holding public office by the Janneh Commission of Inquiry. 

The Commission was set up in 2017 to investigate corruption allegations and misappropriation of public funds by the Jammeh regime. 

Mr Sabally and others including Jammeh were found to have acquired assets “unlawfully, defrauded the State, misuse or abuse of office, or willfully acted in a way prejudicial to the public interest.”

Reporting by Adama Makasuba