Professor Yerro Mballow has alleged that certain political stakeholders involved in the Coalition 2026 negotiations received financial support from Kanifing Mayor Talib Ahmed Bensouda. The allegations emerged after Professor Mballow resigned from the Coalition Mediation Committee (CMC) prior to the selection of the coalition's flagbearer. These claims coincide with a political debate surrounding the Coalition 2026 talks and President Adama Barrow’s ongoing nationwide 'development tour', ahead of the December 2026 presidential election.
Professor Mballow stated, "People gave me information that some of the stakeholders in the coalition talks were bought and I later came to believe that certainly those informations were right." He further asserted, "Some of the movements confirmed to us that it was Talib [Bensouda] who paid for their hosting because some of them hosted some of the meetings." Mballow elaborated on the logistical arrangements, explaining, "Every Saturday, one of the parties or movements will host us and it is for the movement or party hosting to tell the stakeholders where they will be hosted to hold the talks." He concluded, "Some of the movements told us that it was Talib who paid for them in exchange for the D-Day."
Mediator's Allegations of Impropriety
Professor Yerro Mballow made these allegations during an interview broadcast on the Kerr Fatou media platform via Facebook. He stated that the Coalition 2026 talks were structured around weekly meetings, with participating parties or movements taking turns to host each Saturday. Mballow claimed that some of these movements confirmed to him that Kanifing Mayor Talib Ahmed Bensouda paid for their hosting of these meetings. According to Mballow, Bensouda's financial contributions for hosting arrangements were allegedly made in exchange for support on the day the coalition was to select its flag bearer, referred to as 'D-Day'.
The mediator further observed a significant reduction in the number of participants during the negotiation process. The total number of participating stakeholders initially stood at 21 but subsequently fell to approximately 11. This decline occurred amidst the unfolding allegations and discussions surrounding the coalition's formation.
Assan Martin, another individual involved in the political discourse, stated that political strength alone could not determine the outcome of a coalition. Martin's comment suggests a broader perspective on the factors influencing such alliances, moving beyond mere numerical or popular support to encompass other strategic considerations. The allegations by Professor Mballow and the observations on stakeholder participation contribute to the ongoing debate surrounding the integrity and formation of Coalition 2026. The claims show concerns about potential financial influence within political negotiations.
Coalition Spokesperson Defends Process
Assan Martin, identified as the spokesperson for the Coalition Mediation Committee (CMC), stated that the committee adopted consensus as its main approach throughout the negotiation process. Martin noted two difficult issues that persisted during the negotiations: the type of coalition to be formed and the question of who should lead it. "My role and that of the CMC was mediation," Martin said, clarifying that the CMC's function was to help political parties reach an agreement, not to impose decisions. "Some of the mediators, or any mediator, is not a decision maker," he added, "We are just facilitating the talks, trying to help them smooth, to have a smooth process so that we can come to a final conclusion on issues."
Martin noted that some parties and movements expressed opposition to United Democratic Party (UDP) leader Ousainou Darboe leading the coalition. He specifically mentioned the Gambia Democratic Congress (GDC), UNITE Movement (UMC) — now known as UNITE Party — and APP-Sobeya as entities not prepared to accept Darboe as the coalition's standard bearer. "Do you think UMC, GDC and other parties will accept that the UDP should lead? Have you heard of that position?" Martin questioned, referring to the differing stances. He explained that the CMC held bilateral discussions with individual political parties to understand their positions and bridge differences. "When the CMC is doing bilateral, they call either the party leader or party reps," he stated.
According to Martin, the UDP did not want to compromise on the flagbearer issue. "When we heard them, we realised that UDP does not want to compromise on the flag bearer, which is one [of the issues]," he explained. He recounted calling GDC leader Mama Kandeh twice and sending him an audio message to plead for Darboe to lead the coalition. "That night, I called Mama Kandeh to resolve this in order to allow the UDP to lead, and he always maintained his position," Martin disclosed. He reiterated, "I called Kandeh pleading with him to allow UDP’s Darboe to lead." Martin further added, "I even sent Kandeh an audio still pleading with him to allow Darboe to lead the coalition." He emphasized that "Each of the parties have their positions and was not ready to compromise."
The mediation process, initiated by the Alliance for Democratic Development (ADD), lasted almost 18 weeks. "A lot of stakeholders, political stakeholders, were invited into the process," Martin commented. The process began with 21 political stakeholders. "This has been the central focus of this process, which is that engage, engage until we come to a level where we can have a flag bearer," Martin concluded. "Key to that, the issue of party-led, candidate-led, another issue, which is how do we get a flag bearer, whether we can have it through a consensus or we will end up with elections."
Government Dismisses Coalition's Legitimacy
Information Minister Dr. Ismaila Ceesay described the Coalition 2026 arrangement as a "monolusion," arguing that only one political party remained. Ceesay stated that Coalition 2026 was "dead and buried," having announced its obituaries two weeks prior. He mentioned Professor Mballow and Aja Fatoumata Jallow-Tambajang as individuals associated with the mediation process who had subsequently withdrawn. Ceesay noted that the Gambia Democratic Congress (GDC) was no longer part of the process and had instead aligned with President Adama Barrow.
Ceesay characterized the coalition-building process as "the most comical I have seen in the history of this country." He alleged that political parties left the negotiations because they believed the process was predetermined and rigged. According to Ceesay, only the UNITE Movement remained, anointing themselves as the "so-called Coalition 2026." He stated that the opposition groups' main objective was to replace the current government.
Ceesay claimed that if people voted solely based on delivery, President Barrow would secure at least 75% of the votes. The Information Minister noted ongoing development projects, including advancements in roads, health facilities, electricity, and agriculture. Approximately 260 kilometers of roads are being implemented under the Connect Gambia Infrastructure Project, Ceesay noted. He specifically mentioned the construction of a 26-kilometer Karantaba-Reneru-Tabanani-Demfay-Njaga-Fitufola road and a 12-kilometer Njalu road as examples of the government's infrastructure initiatives.
Proposed Coalition Structure and Future
The Coalition Mediation Committee (CMC) developed a framework for the proposed coalition, including a governance structure, and stated that the coalition's membership would remain open until the nomination process at the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). Authority would ultimately rest with the president if the coalition were to win, though the flag bearer would be expected to consult a coalition governance council. A panel comprising five members could also be established to serve as an internal dispute-resolution mechanism between the flag bearer and the coalition council. Assan Martin described the proposed agreements as encompassing commitments to reduce the cost of running government, such as a 50% cut in the fleet of vehicles and travel expenses.
In parallel, the government's policy aims for one ambulance per every cluster of 10 to 12 villages. The Giraffe Agro Logistics Centre in Makaphera is nearing completion, currently standing at approximately 85%. An agreement was also formalized with two microfinance institutions, providing 156 million dollars in matching grants to 214 beneficiaries. Additionally, a regional laboratory is under construction in Mansakonko, located in the Lower River Region. Separately, 150 children engaged directly with nine ministers during a Children's National Assembly event.