Lawyer Ousainou Darboe, Party Leader of UDP
By Buba Gagigo
Ousainou Darboe, party leader and secretary general of the United Democratic Party (UDP), announced on Wednesday his intention to seek his party’s nomination for the 2026 presidential election, ending weeks of speculation over his political future and the party’s internal succession debate.
In a statement aimed at rallying his supporters, Mr. Darboe called for party unity following a period of public disagreement over who should lead the UDP into the next election. He urged members to put recent disputes behind them and recommit to the party’s shared goals.“Let’s sustain and grow the momentum we are constantly building as we prepare for the fast approaching elections,” Mr. Darboe said. “We are at a crossroads, and the 2026 presidential elections will be a defining moment for The Gambia.”
The UDP leader confirmed his plan to submit his candidacy when the party officially selects its flag bearer. Should he secure the nomination, Mr. Darboe pledged to mount a vigorous, policy-driven campaign focused on what he described as the failings of the incumbent National People’s Party (NPP).
“When that time comes, the UDP will follow its stipulated rules for the selection of a flag bearer. I intend to put forward my candidature for the party’s flagbearer position. If and when the UDP does me the honour to select me, I will run a robust, facts-based, and issues-focused campaign to convince The Gambians that the UDP and its potential allies are the only choice to replace the corrupt and insensitive NPP government that has failed our hardworking and deserving compatriots,” Darboe said.
Mr. Darboe, a former vice president and party leader of the UDP since its inception in 1996, emphasized the importance of party cohesion, warning that internal divisions would only serve to weaken their prospects.
He described the UDP as a “big tent” party that embraces diversity and provides space for all members and supporters to grow.
“It is growing, and it is diverse. We are all one family in a big tent with room for every member and supporter, with scope and opportunity for each person within our ranks to grow to the fullest of his/her potential. Our strength as a political party is in our diversity, and our vitality is driven by the energy and ambition each member and supporter brings to the party,” he said.
Mr. Darboe highlighted what he sees as the UDP’s advantages: a committed grassroots base, experienced professionals, capable elected officials, and a clear policy agenda that he believes resonates with the Gambian people. But he cautioned that these assets can only translate into electoral success if the party remains united.
“We are blessed with the most motivated support base, a deep bench of qualified and highly experienced professionals, an impressive roster of capable elected leaders delivering exceptional service across the board in the responsibilities voters have entrusted them with, and we are communicating a clear agenda to the Gambian people that is resonating with them. We are seeking to bring about the change our country desperately needs. But all of these can only achieve broader success if our unity is not frayed,” he said.
Acknowledging that internal disagreements are natural in any political organization, Darboe cautioned against allowing such differences to fracture the party.
“Disagreement is normal in every political party, nurturing ambition within the ranks of party members is healthy and normal, having a preference for one party member or the other for any reason and any office within the party is good and normal. We should all understand and accept all those to be part and parcel of democratic politics. Our opponents, and there are many and they come in many guises, would want to see our unity and diversity fractured not because they offer better alternatives. They desire to seek vindication in our disunity and the potential for failure that it entails. The surest way to make those opponents fail is to deny them the opportunity to vindicate their made-up minds. And unity among our ranks does that easily and effectively,” Darboe said.
As the UDP prepares for the electoral battle ahead, Darboe’s declaration sets the stage for a potentially contentious contest within the party, even as it seeks to position itself as the leading opposition force in The Gambia.