Momodou Satou Dibba resigned from opposition coalition talks with immediate effect, citing an irreconcilable disagreement over the voting mechanism. Dibba communicated his departure in a letter to Prof Yero Mballow, chairperson of the Committee, stating, "I joined the CTMC as a governance and political affairs professional to support a unified political opposition." The Coalition-2026 talks aim to unify opposition forces ahead of national elections, seeking to present a united front against incumbent powers. These discussions are convened with the primary objective of unifying opposition forces in the lead-up to upcoming national elections. Dibba explained, "With current developments and state of affairs, and with one-entity, one-vote mechanism continuing to determine the direction of the talks, reconciliation is highly unlikely."
Disagreement Over Voting Mechanism
Momodou Satou Dibba believes the one-entity, one-vote rule unfairly ignores party size and past performance in the coalition talks. Most political entities involved in the discussions opted for this one-entity, one-vote mechanism. The chosen mechanism pegged all political entities at the same level irrespective of their size or historical electoral performance. Its adoption subsequently resulted in the selection of a candidate-led coalition type. This approach treats all participating groups as equals in the decision-making process, regardless of their established political footprint or voter base.
Dibba and other participants who favored a party-led model for the coalition had previously raised concerns about this approach but continued to participate in the negotiations. However, Dibba stated that reconciliation is highly unlikely if the one-entity, one-vote mechanism continues to determine the direction of the talks. A candidate-led model, especially when operating under one-entity, one-vote rules, can empower smaller groups and independent candidates by equalizing their voting power within the coalition. This means that a smaller, less established entity holds the same voting weight as a larger, more historically significant party. For those advocating for a party-led model, this equalization of voting power is seen as a fundamental flaw, as it does not reflect the actual political strength or representativeness of the various entities.
Mediation Committee's Role
Momodou Satou Dibba currently serves as the vice chairperson of the Coalition Task Force Mediation Committee (CTMC). A retired United Nations senior governance and political affairs official, Dibba stated his initial purpose for joining the CTMC was to support a unified political opposition. The CTMC itself had previously advised the adoption of a weighted-voting system, a mechanism designed to recognize the relative sizes of different political entities within the coalition discussions. This weighted-voting system would have allocated influence commensurate with party size, organizational presence, and past electoral performance.
Dibba has indicated that he remains available to support coalition talks, provided they recognize factors such as party size, organizational presence, and past electoral performance. A party-led coalition model, which Dibba reportedly favors, typically grants larger parties greater influence, aligning their power with membership numbers or historical electoral performance. This model is often preferred by established political parties who argue that their larger base of support should translate into greater decision-making power within a coalition. The disagreement notes a fundamental tension between principles of equality among participating entities and the recognition of established political strength.
Coalition's Aims and Future
The Coalition-2026 talks are convened with the primary objective of unifying opposition forces in the lead-up to upcoming national elections. These discussions aim to reach an agreement on several critical aspects, including the fundamental structure of the coalition itself. Participants are also working towards establishing a consensus on the process for selecting its leadership. A key goal of the Coalition-2026 talks is to formulate a cohesive and joint strategy that will guide the unified opposition's campaign efforts. The ongoing negotiations seek to consolidate diverse political entities into a single, effective front capable of challenging incumbent powers, with the ultimate goal of improving the chances of success for the opposition in the upcoming national elections.