… But Barrow says election is premature

But this morning’s elections has run into plenty trouble and according to Barrow in a press conference at just about the same time the N.G.O.s were voting, not so fast. The so called progress, says the P.M., in which APAMO and the N.G.O.s are heading, is premature and a seat in the senate is not yet guaranteed.

Prime Minister Dean Barrow
“I really am flabbergasted. First of all, the constitutional amendments have not become law. We said clearly that we would not have the Governor General sign them into law out of deference and respect to the Supreme Court. Chief Justice Conteh had ruled that there was a need for a referendum before this could take place. We are challenging that—I believe that case is being heard by the Court of Appeal tomorrow and we said we would be bound by the Court of Appeal decision. So that if the Court of Appeals says yes, Chief Justice Conteh was right, we would have a referendum. In any case, the amendments are not yet law. I don’t understand how APAMO could be holding an election for their representative to the Senate. Assuming the amendments go through after the Court of Appeal decision, I don’t know that that is the right procedure for selecting the additional senator to represent the N.G.O. community. I don’t know, so let me just leave it at that. The amendments have not gone through, so anything they are doing has to be completely premature.”