UDP Accuses NPP of Seeking to Entrench Itself in Power, Vows to Prevent Repeat of 2021 Election

By Seedy Jobe

Lamin Manneh, the United Democratic Party’s (UDP) deputy administrative secretary for external affairs, has accused the governing National People’s Party (NPP) of attempting to consolidate its grip on power ahead of the December 5 presidential election, vowing that his party will take steps to prevent a recurrence of the alleged electoral irregularities it says marred the 2021 vote.

Speaking in an interview with Teledal TV, Mr. Manneh expressed confidence in the UDP’s electoral prospects while renewing allegations that the 2021 presidential election was manipulated in favor of the incumbent, President Adama Barrow.

He described the NPP as the UDP’s principal political rival, accusing the governing party of exploiting state resources to maintain its hold on power.

Mr. Manneh argued that political parties should be judged not merely by their electoral ambitions but by their commitment to principle and their record of honoring promises made to voters.

He portrayed the UDP as one of The Gambia’s most consistent political organizations, citing its nearly three decades in opposition and its brief participation in the coalition government that emerged following the 2016 presidential election.

According to him, the UDP withdrew from that administration because commitments made to Gambians were not being fulfilled.

He maintained that the party’s credibility rests on its willingness to honor its promises, pointing to its flagbearer’s longstanding pledge to serve only one term if elected president.

Mr. Manneh also argued that while political parties initially seek power on the strength of their promises, their continued mandate should depend on their performance in office. He reiterated his belief that no president should serve more than two terms.

Turning to the December election, he acknowledged that every candidate approved by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) represents legitimate competition but insisted that the NPP remains the UDP’s main challenger.

He accused the Barrow administration of using the advantages of incumbency, including state resources, to strengthen its political position. He nevertheless expressed confidence that voters would embrace the UDP’s policies and programs.

Mr. Manneh also revisited the disputed 2021 presidential election, repeating the UDP’s longstanding allegation that the party was denied victory through electoral manipulation.

He said the UDP had gathered substantial evidence of irregularities but was prevented from presenting its full case after the Supreme Court dismissed its election petition on procedural grounds he characterized as flimsy.

Had the court considered the evidence, he argued, it would have had sufficient grounds to annul the results and order fresh elections.

Among the alleged irregularities, Mr. Manneh cited voter registration conducted outside officially designated hours and locations, as well as discrepancies between results recorded at polling stations and figures compiled at regional collation centers.

He further alleged that the transmission of election results was interrupted at approximately 10:30 p.m. on election night, at a time when he claimed the UDP was leading.

According to his account, the announcement of results resumed only after midnight, raising suspicions within the party that the interruption had been used to alter the figures. He also questioned the nearly 24-hour period before the final results were announced.

The allegations remain claims by the UDP and were not independently substantiated in the account of the interview. The Supreme Court’s dismissal of the party’s petition did not establish that the election had been stolen.

Mr. Manneh said the party’s supporters were deeply frustrated by the outcome and that some were prepared to confront the authorities. However, he said the UDP leadership deliberately chose to pursue legal remedies rather than risk political unrest.

“This is a country we want to build, not burn down first and then build,” he recalled the party leadership telling supporters.

He said that decision reflected the UDP’s commitment to resolving political disputes through peaceful and constitutional means, even when it disagreed with the outcome.

Looking ahead to December 5, Mr. Manneh insisted that the party had learned from its 2021 experience and had introduced measures intended to safeguard its votes and prevent the irregularities it alleges occurred during the previous presidential election.

Although he did not elaborate on those measures in the account provided, he maintained that the UDP was determined not to allow a repeat of 2021.