Bensouda Accuses NPP of Prioritizing Elections Over Governing

By Fatou Sillah

Talib Ahmed Bensouda, the leader of UNITE and presidential flagbearer of Coalition 2026, has accused the National People’s Party of concentrating on winning elections while neglecting the country’s development challenges.

Speaking on Coffee Time, Bensouda questioned the governing party’s priorities, saying its focus on electoral victory had overshadowed discussions of employment, health care, and the migration of young Gambians through irregular routes.

“Right now they are just trying to figure out how to win this election, that is all,” he said. “It’s not how to govern.”

Bensouda said a government should offer a clear vision for improving living conditions, including creating jobs, strengthening health services, and addressing the circumstances that drive young people to leave the country.

“What is the vision for the country? How do you stop youths from taking the back way? How do you create employment? How do you raise the standards of healthcare and the quality of life?” he asked. “There’s no conversation around that.”

He also criticized the government’s handling of persistent electricity problems, arguing that it should have resolved those challenges after several years in office.