SNP-DP

Ansanm Pour Sesel

2007 NATIONAL   ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS

SNP_DP candidates for the National assembly elections 2007

Wednesday April 18, 2007 was Nomination Day for the forthcoming National Assembly elections. The Seychellois National Party/Democratic Party alliance candidates presented their Nomination papers to the office of the Electoral Commissioner which is based temporarily at the National Library for the duration of this election. The Opposition candidates accompanied by their party leaders arrived for their rendezvous at the Electoral Commissioner’s office at the National Library at 12 noon precisely.

Each candidates had to submit a list of not less than fifty supporters backing their candidacy in their respective districts along with two passport size photographs, party colour and symbol. The candidates were also required to be in possession of a certificate issued by their party giving them permission to act on its behalf. A refundable deposit of SR1500 was paid as security for each candidate, this money is refundable unless the candidate fails to pull at least 5% of the total votes cast in the district.

There was no sign of the 8 independent candidates as speculated by the office of the Electoral Commissioner. Once again Mr. Hendrick Gappy is responsible for creating a false sense of curiosity and baseless sensationalism something which is unbecoming of an Electoral Commissioner. There will be no independent candidates standing for these forthcoming elections. It will be a straight battle between the ruling party and a united opposition, a first since the re-introduction of a multi-party system in Seychelles.

The campaign has now officially started; posters are already going up in the districts on Mahe, Praslin and La Digue. The SPPF is taking this election very seriously indeed - if they (SPPF) do not do better than what they did in the Presidential election it might just be the beginning of the end for the ruling party. It will also mean that the electorate has taken President Michel literally and has judged him by his actions. The electorate has a clear choice between prolonging anarchy and dictatorship or a vote for the opposition to better the democratic state of our democracy!     

       

April 20, 2007
Copyright 2007: Seychelles Weekly, Victoria, Mahe, Seychelles