By: Kemo Kanyi
Demba Ali Jawo, a former Gambian Information Minister, has stated that if Ousainou Darboe decides not to contest the 2026 presidential election as the United Democratic Party’s flagbearer, it will be detrimental to the party.
Jawo’s remarks came amidst growing speculation over who best suits Ousainou Darboe as UDP’s candidate for 2026. Jawo spotted that the party was obviously undergoing some challenges of unifying its rank and file, particularly on the issue of getting a consensus candidate. He said that even if Mr. Darboe had ever contemplated stepping down for a younger candidate as some people had been calling for it would not augur well for UDP. He argued that such a scenario could be detrimental to the unity of the party.
“It is quite obvious that the UDP is presently composed of at least two irreconcilable factions; split between supporters of the KMC Mayor Talib Ahmed Bensouda and those of the BAC Chairman, Yankuba Dabo, and Ousainou Darboe’s leadership of the party is serving as the thread that holds those factions together. Therefore, the moment he lets go, the centre is likely to disintegrate, and that could spell disaster for the party, particularly during this crucial time,” Jawo pointed out.
The political commentator said with such a scenario, Mr. Darboe does not seem to have much choice but to continue to lead the party, at least until after the 2026 elections.
According to him, the NPP appears not to be faced with such a leadership challenge, but some political analysts are of the view that President Barrow is reluctantly going for a third term, apparently because there is no one within the NPP who has the charisma of holding it together, let alone being electable.
He maintains that just like Ousainou Darboe of the UDP, President Barrow also does not seem to have much choice but to continue to lead the party at the elections.
Jawo suggested that with such a scenario, therefore, assuming that there would not be a 2016-style opposition coalition, President Barrow stands a much better chance of winning the polls.
