“It Was Never About Removing Jammeh or Barrow, But a Better Gambia” – Yankuba Darboe

By Seedy Jobe 

Yankuba Darboe, the chairman of the Brikama Area Council and a senior figure in the opposition United Democratic Party, said on Saturday that his long involvement in Gambian politics has been driven by a broader push for national reform rather than the removal of any individual president.

In a statement posted on his official Facebook page, Mr. Darboe rejected suggestions that his political activism was focused on unseating former President Yahya Jammeh or the current president, Adama Barrow. “It was never about the removal of Yahya Jammeh or Adama Barrow, but for a better Gambia,” he wrote.

Mr. Darboe’s comments appeared to be directed at critics within the ruling National People’s Party, including Amie Colley, the National Assembly member for Foni Berefet, who recently questioned the consistency of opposition figures and alliances.

“If it were about removing Jammeh alone, I would have retired from politics in 2016 after Jammeh was gone,” Mr. Darboe said, referring to the year Mr. Jammeh left office following a contested election. He added that his advocacy had continued under Mr. Barrow’s administration, citing his imprisonment at Mile 2 Central Prison during the current government as evidence of his continued opposition.

“My struggle for a better Gambia never ended there, but continued up to date under Barrow,” he wrote.

Mr. Darboe said his political engagement was rooted in improving governance and living conditions for Gambians, particularly in the West Coast Region, where he serves as council chairman. He said his work at the Brikama Area Council reflects that focus.

He also defended his record against criticism from Ms. Colley, who had remarked on shifting attitudes toward Mr. Darboe among opposition groups. “They have contested against Yankuba Darboe in the past, and now they are saying he is a good person,” she said in recent comments. While expressing respect for him, Ms. Colley noted that he had been among those who pushed for Mr. Jammeh’s departure from power.

Mr. Darboe said Gambians understood that his position was not centered on personalities but on principles. “The people of Foni and the whole of The Gambia understand and appreciate that my struggle is never premised on the removal of any president, but for a better Gambia for me, my people, and my children,” he said.