By Fatou Sillah
Coalition 2026 remains open to re-engaging political parties that withdrew from its negotiations as it seeks to broaden political consensus ahead of the 2026 presidential election, according to coalition spokesperson Assan Martin.
Speaking in an interview with West Coast Radio, Martin said disagreements among political stakeholders were expected during negotiations but could still be resolved through dialogue and compromise.
“There is nothing cast in stone here. The thing is that we are open, and we are very flexible. The doors will be open until the day we do the nomination from the IEC,” Martin said.
He said the coalition’s approach has been centered on consensus, which he argued could only be achieved through continued engagement among the participating political actors.
Martin acknowledged that the negotiations had been difficult, with several parties eventually withdrawing from the process. However, he said the coalition viewed the current period as an opportunity to regroup and renew efforts to engage those who had stepped away.
He said Coalition 2026 intends to reach out to parties that were not part of the final stages of the negotiations in an effort to find common ground and potentially bring them back into the fold.
Despite the setbacks, Martin said the coalition remained committed to completing the process, describing Coalition 2026 as a long-term political project rather than an arrangement built around individual personalities.
He also addressed questions surrounding the selection of Talib Ahmed Bensouda as the coalition’s flagbearer, saying there was no agreement that the candidate who finished second in the selection process would automatically become a running mate.
Martin maintained that the coalition would continue engaging political stakeholders ahead of the election while keeping its doors open to those willing to return to the negotiating table.
Comments are closed.