Gibbi Mballow Confident of Re-Election, Vows to Break Lower Fulladu West’s One-Term Trend

By Seedy Jobe

Hon. Gibbi Mballow, the National Assembly member for Lower Fulladu West, says he has “no doubt” he will win re-election, arguing that his close relationship with constituents and his record in Parliament will help him break a pattern of lawmakers serving only one term in the constituency.

Speaking in an interview with journalist Ebrima Baldeh on Issues That Matter, Mballow said previous representatives struggled to secure second terms because, in his view, they became disconnected from the communities they represented.

Mballow said he and his team identified that disconnect early and made regular engagement with residents a central part of his tenure. During the current parliamentary recess, he said, he has been visiting communities, including Njie Kunda, and going door to door to hear directly from residents.

That accessibility, he argued, has strengthened his relationship with voters and given him confidence that he will be returned to the National Assembly.

“There is no doubt I will be re-elected,” Mballow said.

He also said his support extends beyond partisan lines, contending that members of different political parties in Lower Fulladu West increasingly regard him as their representative because he has focused on issues affecting the constituency rather than party affiliation.

Mballow pointed to his record in the National Assembly, describing himself as an outspoken legislator willing to take difficult positions on matters affecting both Lower Fulladu West and the country.

“My image is not hidden,” he said, suggesting that voters have had ample opportunity to assess his performance.

Predicts Strong Barrow Showing in Lower Fulladu West
Turning to the December presidential election, Mballow predicted a decisive victory for President Adama Barrow and the National People’s Party in Lower Fulladu West.

He attributed that confidence to development projects undertaken by the Barrow administration, arguing that voters ultimately judge governments by their ability to address their needs and aspirations.

On the broader national contest, Mballow portrayed the race as primarily between the governing NPP and the United Democratic Party. Despite being a political opponent, he described the UDP as the country’s only serious opposition party, citing its longevity and resilience through successive electoral defeats.

He said the NPP considers the UDP its principal political competitor and is paying little attention to the other parties contesting the election.

Mballow was particularly dismissive of newer opposition movements, including UNITE, led by Kanifing Municipal Council Mayor Talib Bensouda. He predicted that such parties would struggle to secure even 2 percent of the vote and suggested that some could disappear from the political landscape after the Dec. 5 election.

Asked to clarify which parties he was referring to, Mballow said he meant all opposition parties except the UDP.

Mballow also addressed the large turnout at the UDP’s recent 30th anniversary celebration in Brikama, congratulating the party on three decades of political endurance, unity and commitment.

But he rejected suggestions that the size of the gathering should concern the governing party.

Mballow said the NPP had previously held what he described as a “mega rally” in Brikama that attracted roughly three times as many people, though he offered no independent figures to support the comparison.

Still, he acknowledged the UDP’s mobilization strength, saying it was the only party outside the NPP capable of drawing crowds of that magnitude.

For Mballow, however, the ultimate test will come at the ballot box. He remains confident that both he and President Barrow will command strong support in Lower Fulladu West when voters next go to the polls.