Electoral commission’s president dismissed

Gambian President Yahya Jammeh has dismissed Bishop Solomon Johnson, president of the country’s Independent Electoral Commission (ICE), Deyda Hydara, editor of ‘The Point’ newspaper told IRIN on Thursday. The dismissal took place before the Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday in favour of the commission, which had taken the government to court over its failure to hold local elections, Hydara added. Neither the government nor Johnson has spoken publicly on the issue, but some opposition parties, including The People Democratic Organisation for Independence and the United Democratic Party have expressed their disapproval of the government’s decision, Hydara reported. Johnson had been the head of the commission since 1997.