The political landscape in The Gambia entered another significant phase over the weekend as opposition parties struggled to forge a common front ahead of the December 2026 presidential election. Professor Sidat Yaffa of the University of The Gambia subsequently withdrew from the flag bearer contest after it was narrowed to him and Talib Ahmed Bensouda. Professor Yaffa cited the involvement of a "nephew" in the process as a reason for his withdrawal. The coalition comprises PASTEF-The Gambia, Gambia Sustainable & Environmental Movement (GSEM), People’s Right Party, Forward Gambia, National Reform Congress, Gambia Movement for Progress, Save The Gambia, National Development Association, and the UNITE Party. UNITE stated, "Our consistent position has been, and remains, that we will follow whoever wins the flagbearer contest, fairly conducted." UNITE added, "We state authoritatively that the allegations now made against us are false and misleading," emphasizing that "UNITE remains committed to a genuine, credible coalition built on fairness, transparency and mutual respect."
Coalition's Internal Strife
Mayor Talib Ahmed Bensouda of the Kanifing Municipal Council emerged on Saturday as the selected leader and flag bearer of the opposition coalition. Bensouda's selection followed a process within the coalition aimed at unifying opposition forces ahead of the December 2026 presidential election.
However, the All People’s Party (APP-Sobeyaa) announced its withdrawal from the Coalition Mediation Committee (CMC) talks, citing the decision as "difficult but necessary" ahead of the 2026 Presidential Election. APP-Sobeyaa stated, "This is not a decision we have taken lightly." The party explained, "We have stayed in the process because we believe that The Gambia needs us to find common ground, not because we are prepared to compromise the principles upon which that unity must be built." APP-Sobeyaa emphasized the importance of "fairness, transparency and credibility" in the selection process. The party criticized the handling of the leadership contest, stating, "A leadership contest must be genuine. It cannot be a process where one outcome is effectively regarded as the only acceptable one." APP-Sobeyaa added, "We respect their right to support their candidate, but a coalition cannot be built on the assumption that one candidate must win," arguing that "That undermines the very spirit of shared governance and collective political endeavour." The party also raised concerns about "allegations and suggestions of improper conduct and inducements," asserting, "We cannot ignore the fact that such concerns have emerged around a process that should command the highest level of public confidence." For APP-Sobeyaa, "credibility, trust and integrity are not negotiable," leading them to conclude, "We cannot, in good conscience, lend our legitimacy to a process that we believe is fundamentally compromised." The party maintained that "The Gambian people, especially the generation demanding change, deserve a coalition that learns from the failures of previous political arrangements and offers a genuine programme of transformation and reform." They further stated, "If we are serious about building a different Gambia, then the coalition seeking to lead that change must itself demonstrate the values of fairness, mutual respect, integrity and accountability." APP-Sobeyaa also called for a more constructive political environment, noting, "Political competition does not require vile rhetoric, personal attacks or the denigration of fellow opposition actors." The party affirmed its position, saying, "APP-Sobeyaa is choosing principle over expediency," and stressed that "such cooperation must be founded on mutual respect, trust, fairness and a shared commitment to putting The Gambia before individual ambition." APP-Sobeyaa concluded its statement on the talks by saying, "We entered these talks believing that together we could build something bigger than any individual or political party. We step away from the present process because we no longer believe it can deliver that outcome," and that "The Gambia deserves a coalition built around the country, not around an individual."
APP-Sobeyaa also responded to a statement from the UNITE party. APP-Sobeyaa stated, "We have taken note of the statement issued by UNITE in response to APP-Sobeyaa’s decision to withdraw from the CMC coalition talks." However, APP-Sobeyaa contended, "UNITE has chosen to misrepresent both our position and the circumstances surrounding our withdrawal. We therefore owe it to the Gambian public, and to the parties that have participated in these discussions, to set the record straight." The party clarified its stance on a running-mate arrangement, stating, "Nor did we propose a running-mate arrangement because we had already accepted defeat." APP-Sobeyaa further explained, "Had that been our mindset, there would have been absolutely no reason for us to enter a competitive flagbearer selection process in the first place." The party elaborated on its original proposal: "We believed that a coalition built around shared responsibility from the outset would send a stronger message to Gambians that this was not simply another contest for one individual to occupy State House." APP-Sobeyaa criticized UNITE's interpretation, saying, "To reduce that proposal to an admission that APP-Sobeyaa expected to lose is either a deliberate distortion or a fundamental misunderstanding of coalition politics." APP-Sobeyaa outlined its initial approach: "APP-Sobeyaa entered these talks with three possibilities in mind: to participate, to lead, or to accept being led; but only through a process that is fair, transparent and founded on trust." The party questioned UNITE's dismissal of previous communications, stating, "UNITE’s attempt to dismiss the communication that they had invested for three years invested in Talib to be president and will not change him as flag bearer as ‘hearsay’ raises more questions than it answers." APP-Sobeyaa also addressed the role of Aziz Bensouda, noting, "Mr Aziz Bensouda is also not some random ‘third party’ as UNITE now seeks to portray him." The party challenged UNITE: "If UNITE’s position today is that Mr Aziz Bensouda has no standing whatsoever to communicate or negotiate on behalf of UNITE or Mayor Talib Bensouda, then UNITE should have the courage to say so publicly." APP-Sobeyaa added, "But if he was sufficiently trusted to facilitate political discussions and engage political actors on matters concerning Mayor Talib Bensouda and UNITE, it is disingenuous to suddenly transform him
Mediation and Withdrawal Explanations
Essa M. Faal also withdrew from the coalition process on the same day the flag bearer was scheduled to be chosen. Separately, Fatoumata Jallow Tambajang, who had been mediating the Coalition 2026 Committee, departed before the voting commenced. Ms. Tambajang stated that her proposal for "dialogue, reconciliation, and a united path forward" to give the opposition the "best possible chance of securing victory in December" was not accepted by the Committee. She added that her decision to exit the proceedings before voting began was "as a matter of integrity," particularly since the process's "credibility and transparency had been called into question." Ms. Tambajang noted that her proposal was not accepted, and she called for an independent body to investigate the allegations. She maintained that a united coalition offered the opposition its strongest opportunity to defeat the incumbent, stressing that leaving the election process did not mean abandoning the objective of opposition unity. She stated she remained committed to bringing all parties to the table and working towards a united Coalition 2026.
UNITE’s deputy national campaign manager, Ebrima Ceesay, alleged an incident involving First Lady Fatoumata Bah-Barrow and Ebrima Dibba on a ferry crossing to Barra. Mr. Ceesay stated, "We believe that public institutions must serve all Gambians fairly and without political discrimination."
The Ministry of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services addressed the allegations, clarifying that "Mr. Ebrima Dibba was permitted to board the ferry and that at no point was he prevented from accessing the ferry on the instruction of the First Lady." The Ministry described the claim that the First Lady sought to use a public ferry service to discriminate against Mr. Dibba on political grounds as "therefore false and without basis." It affirmed that "Public institutions belong to all Gambians and must serve all citizens fairly and professionally. The Gambia Ferry Services is no exception." The Ministry also called on media organisations and the public to verify claims before publishing or circulating them.
Presidential Tour and Political Alliances
President Adama Barrow commenced a nationwide development tour on Sunday, focusing on ongoing projects across the country. The President emphasized the tour's purpose, stating, "This is a development tour; it is very important for us to continue with our projects. No infrastructure, no development." The tour comes amidst the backdrop of political realignments and disputes within the opposition.
In related political developments, Kebba Jallow, identified as a member of a People’s Progressive Party (PPP) faction, announced that his supporters had extended their backing to President Barrow and the ruling National People’s Party. Jallow explained the decision, stating, "Yes, because what is going to happen is that they would have used the party’s name to join UDP, and a lot of PPP members don’t want to go to UDP, including me." He also addressed his standing within the PPP, asserting, "They cannot expel me; the matter is in court." Jallow further challenged any attempts to remove him, remarking, "They can write on paper and say ‘expel me,’ but I can also say I don’t recognize their legitimacy, and that will bring more conflict."
Separately, the Ministry of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services addressed allegations concerning Ebrima Dibba and First Lady Fatoumata Bah-Barrow. The Ministry clarified, "The Government wishes to clarify that Mr. Ebrima Dibba was permitted to board the ferry and that at no point was he prevented from accessing the ferry on the instruction of the First Lady." It further dismissed claims of discrimination, stating, "The allegation that the First Lady sought to use a public ferry service to discriminate against Mr. Dibba on political grounds is therefore false and without basis. The government wishes to state that Public institutions belong to all Gambians and must serve all citizens fairly and professionally. The Gambia Ferry Services is no exception."
Expert and Factional Commentary
Demba Ali Jawo, a former information minister and veteran journalist, offered insights into the shifting political landscape, particularly regarding presidential alliances. Jawo commented that "Those who are enemies today in politics could be friends tomorrow," reflecting on the fluid nature of political relationships. He observed that "Politicians are more interested in what they can reap from whatever alliances they make than what they did in the past," suggesting a focus on personal gain over historical allegiances. "People seem to concentrate more on their personal interests than the interests of the people or the people that they claim to represent," Jawo stated. He noted President Adama Barrow's effectiveness in attracting former opponents, saying, "He’s been very, very good at attracting people who, some people who have been very hostile to him in the past." Jawo also recalled a past instance, asserting, "If the GDC had joined the coalition then, honestly, Jammeh would have still been here." He believed that "Coming together and forming a formidable coalition, particularly on the side of the opposition, would have been a very good thing for them," but predicted that "We may end up having two or even three opposition coalitions," which could make President Barrow's path "much, much easier." Jawo critiqued President Barrow's decision to seek a third term, calling it "a mistake as far as I’m concerned" and adding that "That is going to negatively affect his legacy." He suggested Barrow "would have remained as a respected statesman within the sub-region, if he had stopped at his two terms, and then called it quits." Jawo also acknowledged improvements under Barrow's government, stating, "The media is much, much freer under the Barrow government than it has ever been, particularly under Jammeh." He concluded, "A lot of things have improved, as far as democracy is concerned."