By Fatou Sillah
Alagie S. Darboe, Senior Administrative Secretary of the United Democratic Party (UDP) and Minority Leader in the National Assembly, has expressed the view that the 2026 presidential election in The Gambia is likely to resemble that of 2016.
In an interview with West Coast Radio, Darboe said, “Well, I think as events are unfolding, I will just say the current political climate in The Gambia—I’m not saying I’m a political expert, but I can do some little analysis, whether you agree with me or not, that is my opinion—we will have a replica of 2016 come 2026,” he said.
On the possibility of opposition coalitions, Darboe indicated that such alliances are probable, noting a pattern in Gambian politics.
“Every election year, we expect coalitions. There may not be strong coalitions precisely, but every election there will be coalitions. Until 2016, when we had a much stronger coalition. So this time around, I’m expecting coalitions of political parties,” he said.
Addressing the dynamics within the National Assembly, Darboe acknowledged the interplay between party priorities and national interests. “To be honest, there are issues that have political connotations in the National Assembly. One will not rule that out or dispute that. And as much as they have national interest, they are political issues as well. In that perspective, you cannot separate the two; you have to look at the political camp as well as the national camp in order to balance the two,” he explained.
On decision-making, Darboe emphasized personal conviction over party dictates. “But there are issues whether politics is there. One judges any decision that you are supposed to take based on your own consent. Some of us that is very clear in our operations; no matter what our political position is or our party’s position is, we judge those kinds of issues on our own consent, to be very honest,” he concluded.