By Seedy Jobe
Opposition parties, political movements, and civil society groups on Saturday moved a step closer toward a potential electoral alliance, agreeing to establish a task force to draft the framework for a coalition ahead of the country’s 2026 presidential election.
The meeting, held at the Baobab Hotel in Bijilo, marked the second round of exploratory talks among opposition actors. It was convened by the Gambia Democratic Congress under the auspices of the Alliance for Democracy and Development, in collaboration with civil society organizations.
Representatives from a broad range of parties and movements attended, including the United Democratic Party, the Gambia Democratic Congress, the National Democratic Party, the National Development Party, the People’s Alliance Party, and APRC No-To-Alliance, among others.
In a statement issued after the meeting, the coalition’s mediation committee said the APP Sobeya movement, led by Essa Faal, had apologized for its absence because of prior political engagements in Foni but remained committed to the process.
“The APP SOBEYA, under the leadership of Essa Faal had extended their apology for not making it due to their political engagement in Foni, but are still part of the talks to see this through,” the coalition mediation committee said in a press release.
The session was chaired by Ebrima S. Bah and Prof. Yero Mballow, who represented civil society groups serving in an oversight role intended to ensure transparency and neutrality. Participants unanimously agreed to formalize Prof. Mballow’s role as chairperson, a position previously overseen by Mr. Bah, the statement said.
Delegates also agreed to establish a task force comprising representatives from all participating parties and movements. The body has been mandated to draft a comprehensive set of terms of reference to guide the coalition’s structure, governance framework, and code of conduct.
Participants adopted a set of interim principles to steer the process, including commitments to transparency, proportional responsibility among partners, zero tolerance for hate speech, and the public disclosure of agreements.
The talks were adjourned until May 2, when they are scheduled to resume under the hosting of the United Democratic Party. The venue is expected to be announced at a later date, according to Mr. Bah, secretary of the coalition mediation committee.
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