By: Kemo Kanyi
The Chairman of Brikama Area Council, Yankuba Darboe, has announced that he will not seek the United Democratic Party’s (UDP) flag bearer position for the 2026 presidential election.
Darboe’s statement comes days after the UDP opened applications for party members interested in contesting for the flag bearer position.
In a Facebook post, Darboe reaffirmed his earlier pledge that he would not contest if party leader Ousainou Darboe decided to run. “My words are my bond. I promised not to seek UDP flagbearership if Lawyer Darboe is seeking it, and since he has announced his intention to run, I wish to notify you all that I will not be applying,” he wrote.
Lawyer Ousainou Darboe, the current UDP leader, had earlier confirmed his intention to lead the party in the 2026 elections.
Another potential aspirant, Talib Ahmed Bensouda, also stated that he would not contest against Ousainou Darboe should he run under the UDP ticket.
Other potential candidates, including Landing B. Sanneh, Chairman of the Mansa Konko Area Council; Rohey Malick Lowe, Mayor of Banjul City Council; and Lamin Sanneh, former OIC boss, have yet to make public statements regarding their intentions for the party’s flagbearership.