By Fatou Sillah
Neneh Cheyassin Kebbeh, the vice presidential candidate of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), said the United Democratic Party (UDP) should lead the emerging opposition coalition ahead of the 2026 presidential election, arguing that the party’s three decades of political engagement and its position as the country’s largest opposition force have earned it that role.
Speaking during the ceremony formalizing the alliance between the PPP and the UDP, Ms. Kebbeh urged opposition parties to set aside individual political ambitions and unite behind a common objective of challenging the incumbent government.
She said the UDP’s long-standing presence in Gambian politics and the commitment of its leadership warranted its place at the helm of the coalition.
“They have been here for 30 years; he has worked hard for 30 years; he deserves to lead this party. This coalition deserves to be party-led,” she said.
Ms. Kebbeh argued that removing the current administration should remain the opposition’s overriding priority and maintained that such an effort would be difficult without the participation of the UDP. She suggested that parties seeking to lead the coalition despite the UDP’s political standing were placing partisan interests ahead of the broader national interest.
She called on opposition parties to rally behind the UDP, describing a broad-based alliance as the opposition’s strongest path to victory in the 2026 presidential election.
“If we care about Gambia and we care about the well-being of Gambians, let’s support UDP. Let’s do everything we can in our power to build an alliance with UDP and to join UDP with other parties,” she said.
Ms. Kebbeh said coalition negotiations should be guided by what best serves the country rather than the political aspirations of individual parties. She expressed confidence that a united opposition would be better positioned to deliver political change in the 2026 elections.
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