APC IEMC Coordinator Explains Use of Symbols in Ward Elections

Haji Hassan Kamara, National Coordinator of the Internal Elections Management Committee (IEMC) of the All People’s Congress (APC), has clarified why the party used symbols instead of candidate photographs on ballot papers during its recent ward-level elections.

Speaking on Truth Media, Kamara stated that the decision was primarily driven by financial considerations. He explained that the scale of the ward elections made the inclusion of photographs impractical.

“We have about 4,014 positions nine positions in each of the 446 wards. With approximately 8,000 to 9,000 applicants, it would be very expensive to put all their photos on the ballot papers,” he said.

Kamara noted that for higher-level internal elections, including constituency and district contests, candidate photographs will still be featured on ballot papers due to the smaller number of aspirants, which makes the process more manageable.

He further disclosed that on the day of the ward elections, voters were informed of the symbols assigned to each candidate to ensure clarity and avoid confusion.

“The ward elections simply had too many candidates for photos to be feasible,” Kamara added, emphasizing that the use of symbols was a practical measure aimed at reducing costs while maintaining transparency in the electoral process.