President Adama Barrow has been returned to office after polling 452, 579 or 53.2 percent of the total votes from Saturday’s presidential election, according to the final results from the independent electoral commission on Sunday.
Alieu Momar Njie, the head of the IEC declared the National People’s Party’s Barrow the winner of the presidency for a second mandate.
The 56-year-old who first elected into office in 2016 will lead the country for the next five years.
Ousainou Darboe of the opposition United Democratic Party garnered 238, 253 or 27.7 percent of the votes followed by Mamma Kandeh of the Gambia Democratic Party with 105, 902 or 12.3 percent of the votes.
Halifa Sallah of the People’s Democratic Organisation for Independence and Socialism polled 32, 635 votes or 3.8 percent of the ballot.
He is followed by independent candidate Essa Mbye Faal who secured 12,206 or 2.0 percent of the votes and Abdoulie Ebrima Jammeh of the National Unity Party with 8, 262 or 1.0 percent of the total votes cast.
A coalition of local election observers issued a statement describing the election as largely free, fair and transparent.
However, Mr. Darboe, Kandeh and Faal have also issued a statement rejecting the results as fraudulent.
It is not clear if they will challenge the poll outcome.
Mr. Sallah has conceded the election to Mr. Barrow, saying his PDOIS party are confident that the election results which were certified by polling agents of the candidates are credible.
There has been carnival atmospheres in Banjul and nearby towns as the results suggested that President Barrow has been re-elected.
It was The Gambia’s first election since former president Yahya Jammeh was voted out of power by a coalition of opposition parties led by Adama Barrow.
Jammeh was forced into exile in Equatorial Guinea after his controversial decision to challenge the outcome after initially conceding defeat to Barrow.
WN/as/APA