Dear Editor,
Kanifing mayor defa yakamti. UDP is very different from all the other political parties in The Gambia. All the parties except UDP are formed by individuals. Meaning they own them. If those heads are not there, the parties struggle. UDP was formed by a group of elders and handed to Darboe. So if Talib was not yakamti, at some point especially this 2026, if Darboe didn’t win, God forbid, the party might be handed to him or anyone interested at the time. If that happens, he can count on the 100% support of UDP members.
But him going on his own, influenced by his close associates, who made him believed that the whole country is with him, because they succeeded in securing honorary fatherhood for him in all regions, is silly. About 90 per cent of those women groups are at core UDP. And I bet it’s because of UDP they adopted him honorary father. How bout if 75% or all those women kafolu withdrew honorary fatherhood? He will be left with only those 2018 UDP supporters. Core UDP supporters won’t be shaken.
‘Bul Faleh’
Digital creator
Dear Editor,
Handing over leadership of a whole political party to one person cannot be unilaterally decided by one person. Being a leader doesn’t give you powers that you can transfer to people of your choice.
Political parties are organisation of groups of people with a common belief and perspective. They have their modus operandi and sets of rules and regulations to govern them both internally and externally.
No one with the faintest knowledge of the political space should believe that transfer of leadership can be automatic and can be decided by one person.
Even if someone is promised a leadership position, the agreed selection process must be followed. A political party is not owned and controlled by one person, who can just select at free will. Focus rek, 2026.
Jeggan Niane
Banjul
Dear Editor,
The Standard newspaper, The Gambia could AI generate two people dancing tango. It would be a mischievous demonstration of character. Rationally, such a promise can’t be valid or legitimate since the party leader does not have such an authority and it would have been too naïve to take it seriously. Selection is by a democratic process as recently demonstrated. He could have gone through that process as a winnable candidate. Quite a prospect and missed opportunity. The decision is simply personal and legitimate and to be respected. No need to grope for excuses to dilute the importance of that difficult and courageous divorce or decision.
Lamino Lang Comma
Brikama
Talib is not the problem, President Barrow is and must go
Dear Editor,
With corruption on an industrial scale, and a negligent and incompetent government, an opposition coalition is the solution.
Talib is not the problem. With or without Talib, to effect change in 2026, the UDP will have to lead the opposition coalition.
The electoral system in The Gambia of first past the post favours the incumbent, President Barrow. Can you imagine The Gambia under president Barrow for another five years?
The IEC has declared the date for the 2026 presidential election and the clock is ticking. We need an opposition coalition to rescue The Gambia. We should be talking about the opposition groups coming together than talking about Talib and his supporters. The unnecessary and unhelpful divisions within the opposition augurs very badly for The Gambia and all of us.
If you want to figure out how bad president Barrow is for The Gambia, look at the size of our national debt and the hyperinflation in the country.
President Barrow borrowed more money in the name of The Gambia in eight years than Jawara and Jammeh put together for 52 years.
And President Barrow has nothing to show for the massive spike in borrowing in national development: no hospitals, no schools, Gambians have to pay for everything at exorbitant prices and very bad public services.
And if President Barrow were to win the 2026 presidential election, be prepared for more hardship, poverty, corruption and more lawlessness in the country.
The cost of living crisis in The Gambia, (the hyperinflation) is a direct result of our ever increasing national debt and no productive national economy base to service the debt. That’s why the dalasi continues to depreciate against all major currencies. And President Barrow has no idea what to do to remedy the worsening economic conditions in The Gambia.
That’s the problem and not Talib and his supporters. We should be focusing on solving the President Barrow problem. If not, we’ll all be worse off in the end than we currently are as a country and people.
Yusupha ‘ Major’ Bojang
