Darboe Accuses Government of Plot to Incite Violence and Frame UDP Ahead of December Election

By Seedy Jobe

United Democratic Party (UDP) leader ANM Ousainu Darboe has accused President Adama Barrow’s government of plotting to provoke violence and blame it on the opposition party as a pretext for declaring a state of emergency ahead of the December 5 presidential election.

Speaking on Wednesday at a Brikama North youth meeting organized by the UDP-led Gambia First Coalition, Darboe rejected allegations that his party was preparing to instigate violence, insisting that the UDP has a longstanding commitment to peaceful political engagement.

“We are not violent. Don’t try to make us look violent,” Darboe warned.

Responding to President Barrow’s claims that the UDP was seeking to foment unrest, Darboe reminded the president that he had been a member of the party until 2018 and was familiar with its political history and conduct.

He maintained that the UDP has consistently urged its supporters to respect the law, avoid confrontation and pursue political change through peaceful and democratic means.

Darboe alleged that individuals associated with the ruling party were planning to disguise themselves as UDP supporters by wearing party T-shirts, heckling the president and creating disturbances that could subsequently be blamed on the opposition.

He claimed such incidents could be used to justify a state of emergency and undermine the credibility of the December election.

The allegations were not accompanied by publicly presented evidence, and no independent verification of the purported plot was provided.

Darboe urged UDP supporters to remain calm, resist provocations and be vigilant against individuals attempting to infiltrate the party to engage in unlawful activities.

The opposition leader also criticized Works Minister Ebrima Sillah over remarks suggesting that government supporters would retaliate if subjected to violence by the UDP.

Darboe expressed disappointment in Sillah, recalling that the minister had covered UDP political activities during his time as a BBC correspondent and was therefore familiar with the party’s history of peaceful campaigning.

He attributed Sillah’s remarks to political desperation, while emphasizing that the UDP would not initiate violence but reserved the right to defend itself if attacked.

Darboe argued that the primary responsibility for maintaining peace and national stability rests with the president and government ministers, warning against inflammatory rhetoric that could heighten political tensions.

He also questioned the deployment of security personnel across the country for what he described as election-related simulations, raising concerns about the purpose and timing of the exercises.

Turning to electoral integrity, Darboe reaffirmed the UDP’s determination to ensure that only eligible Gambians participate in the December presidential election.

He cited the party’s ongoing efforts in the revising courts to challenge voter registrations it considers unlawful, stressing that such disputes would be pursued through established legal procedures.

Darboe said the party would continue to scrutinize the electoral process to prevent ineligible individuals, including foreign nationals, from participating in the vote.

Addressing young supporters, the UDP leader described them as central to the country’s political future and urged them to remain focused on securing change through the ballot box.

He expressed confidence that the youth would play a decisive role in the December 5 election, which he portrayed as an opportunity to usher in a new era of governance and restore hope for a better future.

Darboe’s remarks come amid increasingly sharp political exchanges between the ruling National People’s Party and the UDP-led opposition alliance as the country approaches the presidential election.