afrol News, 25 January - The Gambia's ruling Alliance for Patriotic, Re-orientation and Construction (APRC) swept 45 of the 58 contested council seats as well as winning two mayoral seats in Thursday's local government elections, the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) declared.

The main opposition United Democratic Party grabbed three seats while the National Reconciliation Party and the National Alliance for Democracy and Development each secured a single seat. Ironically, eight independent candidates won their seats.

The ruling party, which grabbed 101 of the total 114 seats, had already won 56 unopposed wards before the polls.

The IEC has not issued the turn out figure, which is estimated at 20%.

A total of 266 observers have been accredited to monitor the polls, the IEC Chairman, Mustapha Carayol, said.

He noted the importance of local government elections and therefore appealed to voters to vote peacefully.

The elections followed a legal battle between the government and the opposition over the new local government amendment act that gives sweeping powers to fire elected local government officials from office and replace them.

Angered by the development, the opposition filed a suit at the high court, challenging the constitutionality of the new law.

But the Chief Justice ruled against the opposition, ordering the election to go as planned.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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