Gambia’s Incumbent Leader Wins Presidential Election - IEC

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Gambia’s Incumbent President Adama Barrow has been re-elected for a second term, the country’s Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) said.
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Barrow’s victory was announced by the IEC on Sunday, as broadcast by GRTS (Gambia Radio and Television Service).
According to the IEC, the president won over 457,000 votes, while his main opponent, veteran politician Ousainou Darboe of the United Democratic Party, got over 238,000 votes.
Alieu Mommar Njae, who serves as the chairman of the commission, declared that Barrow was the official winner after election rivals blasted the results and went on to challenge partial results that had earlier given the incumbent president a lead.

“I hereby declare Adama Barrow duly elected to serve as President of the Republic of the Gambia,” he said, after stating Barrow's party had emerged victorious with 457,519 of the votes cast.

Upwards of 800,000 Gambians hit voting stations on Saturday, a feat that also marked the country's first presidential election in years that did not include the participation of former Gambian President Yahya Jammeh, who is currently living in exile in Equatorial Guinea after losing the 2016 election.
Jammeh, who reigned for over 20 years, was largely considered a dictator as his two-decade rule was riddled with arbitrary arrests, rampant disappearances and summary executions. Revelations of Jammeh's practices were detailed in an investigation carried out by the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission, which recently delivered a 17-volume report to Barrow on the matter.
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Critics of Barrow have blasted the incumbent for not taking action on the report's recommendations to hold individuals responsible for human rights abuses that occurred under Jammeh's time in office. It is believed that Barrow did not earlier act so as to not have a negative effect on the election.
The presidential election was held in Gambia on Saturday. Barrow, 56, had five challengers in his reelection bid.
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