Gajigo Urges Upper River Region Voters to Back Bensouda, Reject Ruling Party

By Fatou Sillah

Dr. Ousman Gajigo, a member of Coalition 2026, urged residents of the Upper River Region to support Talib Ahmed Bensouda, saying the ruling National People’s Party had no claim to their allegiance and should not take their votes for granted.

Speaking at a coalition rally in Basse Mansajang, Gajigo said residents had the right to choose their leaders and the power to bring about political change.

“Nobody owns URR; NPP doesn’t own URR; the government doesn’t own URR. URR belongs to the people of URR,” he said.

Gajigo accused the government of returning to the region every five years to seek votes while failing to adequately address residents’ concerns between elections. The hardships facing people in the Greater Banjul Area, he argued, were often more severe in the Upper River Region.

He urged residents to rally behind Bensouda, saying the coalition’s message should reach young people, women, elders, and children throughout the region. Bensouda understood their difficulties, he said, and would address them without waiting for an election campaign.

Gajigo also criticised what he described as the use of motorcycles and vehicles to win political support during election periods. He urged voters to reject the NPP and its alliance partners, arguing that the country needed new leadership.

Challenging President Adama Barrow’s claims about development, Gajigo said roads and electricity alone were insufficient to address the economic pressures facing Gambians. An electricity connection, he argued, offered limited relief to households unable to afford prepaid electricity, commonly known as cash power.

He called for greater attention to the rising cost of living, unemployment, and the difficulties facing farmers, including concerns about the availability of fertilizer during the rainy season.

Agriculture and the economic challenges confronting rural communities, he said, should receive greater priority from the government.