By: Sering Mass Jallow
The Chairperson of the Coalition Task Force Committee (CTMC), Professor Yero Mballow, has issued a strong warning to opposition political forces, urging them to unite ahead of the 2026 elections or risk, in his words, “betraying Gambians forever.”
In a statement shared with The Voice, Professor Mballow cited prevailing socio-economic challenges facing citizens, including rising food prices, youth unemployment, low wages and high rental costs. He argued that those best positioned to address these issues are instead preoccupied with internal competition over leadership positions.
He described the CTMC as the most viable opportunity for opposition unity since 2016, stressing the need for political compromise.
“If you embrace political compromise you win. If you go solo Gambians will never forgive you,” he told opposition.
The CTMC chairperson also dismissed the strategy of individual parties contesting separately, saying lessons from the 2021 elections should not be ignored. He noted that President Adama Barrow secured victory with 53% of the vote, while the opposition collectively obtained 47% but remained divided across five candidates.
“You did not lose to the NPP machinery, you lost to opposition figures,” he added.
Professor Mballow further questioned the effectiveness of a fragmented multi-party approach, linking it to ongoing economic hardships and irregular migration through the “Backway” route. He contrasted the 2016 election, which he said demonstrated the power of unity to remove governments, while the 2021 polls, which he argued showed how division can sustain incumbency.
“2026 is a tiebreaker. 2016 proves unity removes governments, but 2021 proves division protects them. The economic pain is peaking. This is the moment,” he stated.
He maintained that the CTMC initiative offers a structured pathway for opposition collaboration, warning that failure to take advantage of it would effectively amount to allowing President Barrow to remain in office.
“If you miss this opportunity then you have already chosen Barrow for us,” he said. “History will not record your press releases it will record your absence.”
Meanwhile, Prof. Mballow’s remarks add to growing public debate and skepticism over opposition unity efforts, with some observers arguing that party leaders remain more focused on individual political interests than forming a cohesive front with a shared national agenda.
