By Fatou Sillah
Unite Movement for Change (UMC) leader and Mayor of Kanifing Municipal Council, Talib Ahmed Bensouda, says political parties with sufficient electoral strength to secure victory independently have little incentive to pursue coalition arrangements—but adds that in politics, nothing can be ruled out.
Speaking in an interview with Eye Africa TV, Bensouda weighed in on growing discussions around opposition unity ahead of the December presidential election, arguing that the decision to form a coalition hinges on party capacity and genuine political alignment rather than mere numbers.
“Individual party numbers do not matter in a coalition because if it does, you wouldn’t be negotiating for a coalition. If your party alone can make you win an election, then there is no need to enter into a coalition,” he said.
The mayor stressed that successful coalitions must be built on a foundation of shared values and mutual trust, cautioning against alliances formed purely out of political convenience.
“What I believe in coalition is that there should only be one condition, which is, you must align in vision, one principle, and you must trust each other,” he said.
Bensouda also tempered expectations around his own party’s position, noting that coalition decisions within the UMC are not his alone to make and that the party’s executive structures would have the final say.
“The decision is not mine alone; the UMC has an executive. But I don’t rule out anything in politics; anything can happen in politics, and what you don’t expect can happen. Anything can happen in politics,” he said.
His remarks come as opposition parties face mounting pressure to present a united front ahead of what is expected to be a competitive presidential race in December.
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