By Fatou Sillah
The former deputy spokesperson of the APRC and political analyst, Doudou Jah, has said that the United Democratic Party (UDP) has lost its momentum to win the upcoming 2026 presidential elections, citing growing internal tensions and a wave of resignations as signs of disunity.
In an interview with Teledal TV, Mr. Jah stated, “They have lost that grip of winning the 2026 presidency, I can vividly tell you that,” he said.
He argued that the recent resignations within the UDP are clear indicators of a fractured party structure and predicted that more departures are imminent.
“Resignation in any political party will take its toll on the party, internally and even externally. And the resignations we are seeing are both internal and external,” he said.
Mr. Jah also pointed to the formation of Mayor Talib Bensouda’s new movement, saying it is likely to attract further defections from the UDP both within The Gambia and abroad.
“Talib having formed his movement, it will motivate more people to resign and join the movement. I foresee that both in-house within the UDP nationally and also those in the diaspora, more resignations will come,” he said.
Reflecting on the 2016 coalition that ended former President Yahya Jammeh’s rule, Jah said the political landscape has fundamentally changed, with Gambians increasingly valuing unity over partisanship.
“The dynamics of politics in this country have shifted since 2016, when that coalition was formed to oust Jammeh; it offered a solution to Gambians. Now, if you want to get your way through, bring everybody together. United we stand, divided we fall. So UDP as a party alone cannot do it,” he emphasized.
He further suggested that the UDP is struggling to convince voters to embrace its political message.
“The type of democracy they are selling, a lot of Gambians would not subscribe to that. Now instead of keeping the house together, there are cracks on the wall,” he noted.
When asked about the future of the party, Jah said it depends on how the UDP manages its internal divisions. “Will it crumble or not? It depends on what they would do with their party,” he said.
Comparing the opposition’s current state with the ruling National People’s Party (NPP), Jah said the incumbent enjoys a stronger position due to a cohesive alliance.
“The incumbent is still within an alliance, and he is doing whatever it takes to make sure he keeps that house in bounds and trying to add on to that number, so on the side of the opposition, every man for himself, give an easy ride to the incumbent—that is simple mathematics,” he concluded.