By Omar Bah
Dr Lamin Keita, a Gambian political scientist and former chairman of the United Democratic Party (UDP) Wisconsin Chapter, has expressed serious concern over the party executive’s lack of consistency.
Dr Keita said the UDP has been a substantial political entity in the context of national governance and democratic processes but recent developments within the party have revealed inconsistency in its executive decision-making, particularly concerning the flagbearer selection process for the 2026 presidential election. “These inconsistencies will not only undermine the party’s credibility but also breed internal conflicts among its members, threatening to destabilise the unity necessary for effective electoral performance. I projected this issue during the Janjanbureh Congress in 2022,” Keita said in a write up shared with The standard. He added that typically, party executives are selected every two years during congress; however, this was changed to a four-year term. “In theory, this means that the existing executive will retain their positions, allowing the upper classes or factions to determine the flagbearer through backdoor politics. On the surface, this appears to be democratic, but the reality suggest otherwise,” Keita argued.
He said the issue Lamin J Darbo brought about the UDP executive’s lack of clarity is telling.
“The shifting of positions have become counterproductive, and as party members, we must be willing to identify and speak about these intentional shortcomings or flip-flopping. If we continue to overlook these problems when we elect these individuals to office, we can expect even worse outcomes in the future.”
Dr Keita added that one of the primary sources of internal conflict within the UDP stems from divergent interpretations of party procedures and conditions for flagbearer selection.
“The lack of a clear, transparent structure has led to varying expectations among party members regarding who qualifies as an appropriate candidate. Some groups advocate for a meritocratic approach based on experience and public support, while others push for loyalty-based considerations that prioritise traditional relationships over broader appeal. This discord constructs faction and an environment where disagreements flourish, ultimately fracturing party cohesion and diminishing collective efficacy,” the political scientist observed.
He recalled that during the selection of the candidate of Brikama Area Council chairman, the UDP West Coast constituencies were instructed to send two delegates—one male and one female—to participate in selecting their chairman candidate.
“This was a standard procedure that have been applied in the selection processes of Sheriffo Sonko and other regional chairmen or mayoral UDP candidates. However, at around 5PM one day before the selection, Alhagie S Darboe abruptly called the West Coast UDP regional Bureau in Brikama to advise against sending delegates, declaring that it would be the executive who would choose the BAC chairman candidate instead. Alagie Darboe went on to raise concerns about the previous candidates from KMC, BCC, LRR and others, asserting that their selections were based on UDP party constitutional errors, which they have now belatedly addressed,” Mr Keita alleged.
He went on to state that empirical evidence shows that the events were all preplanned and managed by a single entity. “The sequence from the UDP congress to the selection of the Brikama Area Council indicates a confusing process. Only Alagie S Darboe has possession of the documents and could develop a justification for the actions. So it is so confusing that you don’t even know what the standard procedures are,” Keita argued.
“How can someone in the executive of UDP from Banjul, KMC, or LRR select someone to be the candidate of BAC? This shift points to inconsistency, as the party has strayed from its conventional selection process for unclear reasons. It raises the question: Does Alhagie S Darboe and his executive have a hidden preference for a specific candidate, or are they following outside directives? This was the selection process for Wassa Janneh, Jammeh Bojang, Bakary Terrema Dahaba, Chairman Yankuba Darboe, Ousman Manjang, Mr Bondi and other candidates.”
Dr Keita argued that every member of the UDP should seek clarity by requesting to have the party Constitution because people can flip the red coin to be black in the name of ‘party constitutional error’ or in the name of the Constitution.
“While constraining individuals with standard rhetoric about pursuing positions that overlooks the reality that everyone in executive roles or competing for public office is, in fact, also navigating their own quest for opportunities; the executive and members must be ready to step forward and disclose the truth to the people instead of sidestepping important issues that are glaringly obvious to everyone. Transparency is crucial for regaining trust and ensuring that every member feels valued and heard,” the former UDP Wisconsin chairman advised.
