By Fatou Sillah
Essa Faal, the leader of APP-Sobeya, says his party is confident it can contest the 2026 presidential election on its own but warned that a fragmented opposition could improve President Adama Barrow’s chances of remaining in power.
Speaking in an interview with West Coast Radio, Faal discussed the future of opposition cooperation following his withdrawal from Coalition 2026, an initiative aimed at bringing opposition groups together behind a single presidential candidate.
Faal said APP-Sobeya is holding discussions with various political parties and remains open to different political arrangements ahead of the election. Running independently, he said, remains a viable option.
“There is a possibility of us going it alone, and we are super confident,” Faal said. “The issue is, if we have four or five candidates, it could spell disaster for those of us who want change, because by having four or five additional candidates, you are, in fact, cementing the fragmentation that we sought to avoid in the first place.”
His comments underscore a challenge facing opposition parties as they prepare for the 2026 election: whether to field separate candidates or forge an alliance capable of consolidating voters seeking a change in government.
Faal said opposition parties must also recognize that President Barrow retains a significant base of support. He estimated that roughly 19 percent of voters would support the president regardless of the opposition field, though he said Barrow’s eventual share could depend on the candidates challenging him.
“For me, it’s 19 percent—one-nine,” Faal said. “Almost one fifth, 20 percent, but it also depends on the configurations and which candidates are presented. If Gambians do not see a credible alternative that they believe can win, they would revert to Barrow.”
Faal said the opposition should draw lessons from the 2021 presidential election, arguing that some voters may have backed Barrow because they were unconvinced that an opposition candidate had a realistic chance of defeating him.
Despite his departure from Coalition 2026, Faal suggested that the political landscape remains fluid and that further cooperation among opposition parties is still possible before voters head to the polls in 2026.
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