By Haddy Touray
President Adama Barrow on Saturday challenged opposition parties to contest the December presidential election independently, questioning their confidence in winning without forming a coalition.
Speaking during the inauguration of the Brufut–Madiana–Banyaka–Kunkujang Mariama road project, Barrow dismissed ongoing coalition talks among opposition groups as inconsequential.
He said any defeat suffered by the opposition in the forthcoming election would be worse than their performance in the 2021 presidential election.
“I have seen that there are opposition coalition talks aimed at removing me from the presidency. If they truly believe in themselves, they should stand alone — there is no need to form an alliance. Let them contest solo; President Barrow is here,” he said.
The president urged voters to critically assess candidates and their campaign promises, warning that opposition parties were making numerous pledges ahead of the polls.
He also commented on the increasing number of political parties in the country, describing some as “briefcase parties”, “social media parties”, and others as groups mainly active on radio platforms.
Barrow said he played a key role in restoring democracy in The Gambia and argued that his continued leadership benefits even his political opponents.
“If I am not the president of this country, many of them will leave,” he said.
The president expressed confidence that his administration’s development record would secure victory in the December election.
