By Omar Bah
The veteran leader of the opposition Untied Democratic party Ousainu Darboe has been officially selected as the party’s flag bearer for the 2026 presidential election. Darboe received 65 of the votes cast, while challengers Borry Touray – 8 and Amadou Sanneh 2.
Speaking to journalists shortly after the results were announced, Mr Darboe thanked the UDP for giving him another chance to lead the party in 2026.
He urged UDP supporters to exercise decorum and respect at all times. “Let us stop the insults and personal attacks. For insults and personal attacks will not do you or the party any good,” he said.
He pay homage to the founding fathers of the party and urged all Gambians to rally behind the UDP to salvage The Gambia 2026.
Asked whether he is confident of beating Mr Barrow in 2026, Darboe tensely said: “If I was not sure I will be able to defeat him I would not have sought for the UDP flag bearer position.”
By rallying again behind Darboe, the UDP signals both continuity and the desire to avoid internal fragmentation.
The race was one of the most contested in the party’s recent history, beginning with eleven aspirants vying for the ticket. The process saw intense internal competition, interviews, and assessments on core values such as leadership and electability.
Darboe, a prominent human rights lawyer, has led the UDP since its founding in 1996 during the turbulence of President Yahya Jammeh’s early rule. His legacy includes not only multiple presidential runs, but also central roles in the opposition’s most critical historic moments: his arrest for demanding the release of slain activist Solo Sandeng. Despite facing prison and persistent setbacks, Darboe has become synonymous with steadfast opposition, resilience and the search for democratic renewal in The Gambia.
UDP supporters chanted; ‘We cannot turn our backs on Ousainu Darboe’.
