By: Binta Jaiteh
The United Democratic Party (UDP) has withdrawn from the ongoing 2026 coalition talks after rejecting the coalition’s proposed candidate-led model.
This move by UDP, says the coalition spokesperson, Assan Martin, will not derail efforts to field a united opposition candidate in the presidential election.
Speaking in an interview with The Voice, Martin said delegates at the coalition’s 14th session adopted key documents, including a decision to proceed with a candidate-led coalition model.
Under the arrangement, he says, the party whose candidate is selected to lead the coalition would suspend its own presidential candidature or the selected candidate would resign from his or her party to contest under the coalition ticket.
Martin said UDP opposed the proposal and instead advocated for a party-led coalition, a position that he said created disagreement among the participating parties.
Despite the UDP’s withdrawal, Martin expressed confidence that the coalition would remain intact and continue preparations for the December 2026 presidential election.
“We believe the coalition can defeat President Adama Barrow because we are working on a project to bring meaningful reforms for Gambians,” he said.
Martin said the coalition remained open to the UDP should it decide to return, stressing that the alliance did not belong to any single political party.
“The coalition will continue with or without any party that decides to leave. We want all parties to remain and accept the agreed policies, but we cannot compel anyone to stay,” he said.
He also called on other political parties to join the coalition, saying its objective was to promote national reforms and political change.
Meanwhile, sources familiar with the meeting said the session began with silent prayers, introductions and the adoption of the previous meeting’s minutes before delegates discussed compliance with the coalition’s 2026 Code of Conduct.
According to the sources, concerns were raised over recent public remarks by one member entity that some participants considered inconsistent with the coalition’s code, although no party was identified during the discussion.
The sources said UDP representatives Lare Ceesay and Lamin Manneh defended their party’s position before Manneh announced that the UDP was withdrawing from the coalition talks on the instructions of the party’s leadership.
According to the sources, Manneh declined requests from other delegates to remain for further discussions, saying the withdrawal was a decision taken by the party.
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