By Makutu Manneh
The chairman of the Coalition Mediation Committee has rejected allegations of bribery, inducement, and a lack of transparency in the opposition coalition process, calling the accusations “false” and politically motivated as tensions continue to linger over the negotiations to select a flagbearer for the 2026 presidential election.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Aug. 12, Yerro Mballow said the committee, known as the CMC, had conducted its work transparently and in good faith throughout the negotiations, denying suggestions that its members received money or other inducements during the process.
The statement followed consultations with members of the committee and came days after a contentious meeting at Metzy Residence Hotel in Kotu, where some participants withdrew from the coalition talks ahead of a planned vote to select a flagbearer.
“After wide consultation with CMC members, I hereby conclude that the CMC has always practiced transparency in the process from the beginning to the end,” Mr. Mballow said.
He also defended the committee’s spokesman, the lawyer Assan Martin, praising his handling of the negotiations and rejecting allegations directed at members of the mediation team.
“Our PRO, Lawyer Assan Martin, has been exercising his duties with diligence and integrity,” Mr. Mballow said. “He has never been associated with any claim of bribery or inducement as alleged by individuals from parties who withdrew from the coalition talks.”
Mr. Mballow did not identify in the statement the individuals he said had made the accusations, nor did he provide details about the specific claims. But he described the allegations as damaging to the committee and its efforts to bring opposition groups together ahead of the election.
“I hereby state that the CMC is clean and fair, and should be commended for its dedication and selfless service to the Gambian people,” he said.
Mr. Mballow said members of the committee had not received payment for their involvement in the negotiations, portraying their work as a voluntary effort undertaken to help forge a united opposition.
He urged those accusing the committee of bribery or inducement to stop making such claims.
“I urge all those spreading allegations of inducement or bribery against the CMC to stop with immediate effect,” he said. “Our intention to enter into these coalition talks was clear: we came in as concerned Gambians who wanted a united opposition.”
He added: “From the start of the talks up to now, we have never received any payment. We have done this work in good faith and with goodwill for the sake of the country.”
The chairman’s statement represents the committee’s most forceful response to questions surrounding the coalition negotiations, which brought together opposition parties and political movements in an effort to agree on a single candidate for the December presidential election.
Mr. Mballow also sought to clarify the circumstances surrounding his departure from the Aug. 8 meeting at Metzy Residence Hotel alongside former Vice President Fatoumata Jallow Tambajang.
Their walkout occurred shortly before a scheduled vote to choose the coalition’s flagbearer and raised questions about whether senior members of the mediation committee had become dissatisfied with the direction of the process.
Mr. Mballow rejected that interpretation.
He said he and Ms. Tambajang left the meeting to address allegations contained in a withdrawal letter submitted by Essa Mbye Faal of APP-Sobeyaa, who had been one of the contenders for the coalition’s presidential nomination.
According to Mr. Mballow, the decision to leave was intended to protect the committee’s reputation and the credibility of the negotiations rather than to protest against any candidate or political organization.
“Our walkout was never a protest against any individual or party,” he said. “It was done to defend the image of the CMC and to protect the credibility of the entire process in light of the explosive allegations raised by the exited parties.”
The statement did not detail the allegations contained in Mr. Faal’s withdrawal letter or provide evidence supporting or rebutting individual claims. Mr. Mballow broadly characterized accusations of bribery and inducement against the committee as baseless.
The dispute underscores the strains that have accompanied efforts to consolidate opposition forces ahead of the 2026 election, with disagreements over procedures and the selection of a flagbearer testing an initiative intended to produce a unified challenge.
The CMC was established to facilitate negotiations among participating political parties and movements and to mediate disagreements during the coalition-building process. Its role has placed the committee at the center of discussions over how the opposition should organize itself and choose a presidential candidate.
The Aug. 8 meeting became a critical point in those negotiations. Mr. Faal’s withdrawal, followed by the departure of Mr. Mballow and Ms. Tambajang from the meeting, added uncertainty to proceedings shortly before participants were expected to vote.
Mr. Mballow’s latest statement appears aimed at separating the mediators from the political disputes among the participating groups and defending the committee against suggestions that its neutrality had been compromised.
The CMC said it remained committed to what it described as a transparent, inclusive and credible process. It also called on political stakeholders to put national unity ahead of their differences as the country moves closer to the presidential election.
For Mr. Mballow, the allegations against the committee risk undermining not only its members but also the broader effort they were asked to facilitate.
He maintained that the mediators entered the negotiations without financial incentive and had acted solely in pursuit of an agreement among opposition groups.
The accusations of bribery and inducement, as described by Mr. Mballow, remain allegations. His statement offered the committee’s denial but did not include an independent investigation or findings addressing the claims.
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