By Fatou Sillah
Lamin Manneh, an executive member of the United Democratic Party (UDP), has said that the likelihood of forming a coalition with the Unite Movement for Change, led by Talib Ahmed Bensouda, is “very slim.”
Speaking in an interview with Teledal, Manneh explained that many of Talib’s supporters were formerly members of the UDP but left due to disagreements over the party’s internal management—making a political alliance difficult.
“Everything is possible in politics, but I think the chances for that are very slim because they precisely left the UDP; they said they didn’t like what is happening in the UDP,” he said.
Manneh assured that despite the resignations, the UDP’s leadership structure remains solid. “The creme de la creme is still in the party, and what is even more interesting is that those who came to replace them are at least as competent and qualified as them,” he said.
While emphasizing that the UDP remains open to forming alliances with other political entities, Manneh noted that any coalition must be grounded in democratic principles and internal consensus.
“Talib is not even a political party; there are a lot of political parties that are out there, and we are talking to them, and we could have a coalition. We are working towards that, and if later on Talib has his party and wants to join, he would be more than welcome to join,” he added.
Manneh concluded by reiterating the UDP’s broader goal of uniting with like-minded groups to bring about political change in 2026.
“There is nobody who is not welcome to join a coalition. What we want is to set up a coalition that will take away Adama Barrow from number one, Marina Parade, and bring in a much more democratic government and a constitution that we deserve, an economic development that we deserve, and a new political dispensation that is what we are working towards,” he said.