By Seedy Jobe
President Adama Barrow on Saturday issued a pointed challenge to opposition leader Ousainou Darboe, vowing to intensify his nationwide campaign efforts and suggesting that Darboe would be hard-pressed to match his pace.
Speaking during a meeting in Kassa Kunda, Barrow referenced Darboe’s recent nationwide tour, asserting that he would undertake five additional tours before the 2026 presidential election.
“I went on the ‘Meet with the People’ tour, and then I was informed that Ousainou Darboe is also planning his own tour,” Barrow said. “But tell him to be ready; I came to lay a foundation stone in Kassa Kunda. Let him also come and lay a foundation stone here,” Mr. Barrow said.
The president outlined his ambitious campaign itinerary, which includes the launch of a 200-kilometer road construction project in collaboration with the World Bank, the completion of a national electricity project, and a 500-kilometer road construction initiative spanning the country.
Barrow emphasized the scale of his planned outreach, saying he will undertake three tours before launching another “Meet with the People” tour, followed by a fifth tour for the presidential campaign itself. “I will do all five tours; let him be ready,” he said.
In a striking remark that underscored the growing tension between the two political figures, Barrow added, “I think before the presidential election, I’m not saying Banjul hospital, but even a UK hospital will not be able to treat him.”
Political analysts interpret the president’s comments as a direct provocation, signaling a fiercely contested campaign season as The Gambia approaches its next elections.