By Lamin Cham
Nearly half a dozen people have expressed interest to run for the chairmanship of the Brikama Area Council on the ticket of the opposition United Democratic Party. The elections are due in May 2023. The UDP won the seat in 2018 but the holder, Sheriffo Sonko has since switched to the governing National Peoples Party. The UDP has vowed to retake the seat in this most populous region in the country.
The recent National Assembly elections, which saw the party win all but a few seats in the region, have galvanized supporters and officials to believe that the region is still UDP and so a heated race for the party’s sponsorship has begun.
Among those who have showed interest are Tuku Jallow, Abdou Darboe, Wassa Janneh, Dembo Kambi and more recently, Terema Dahaba.
There are unconfirmed reports that more names will emerge in the coming months.
A UDP executive source told The Standard the party has not made any decision on a candidate yet. “What is happening is all part of democracy because all these people know that BAC is for UDP next year. The question is who will contest but there is no doubt that the seat is a UDP seat. The party encourages democracy and healthy competition within its people but at the end of the day, they all remain united, hence the name United Democratic Party,” the party official said.
