By Omar Bah
UDP stalwart, Momodou Sabally, has urged supporters of the opposition United Democratic Party to ignore calls of replacing Ousainu Darboe as leader and flag-bearer.
Reacting to rumours about a supposed meeting discussing a leadership succession plan, Sabally told a UDP rally in Brusubi that Mr Darboe should be maintained as party leader and flag-bearer for 2026 election.
“Without a doubt, Ousainu Darboe is our best option right now – he is the best man UDP can fill for the next election; anything less than that is going to hurt the party and that would not help us,” he told The Standard yesterday.
He advised all party supporters to ignore the detractors because many people who are suggesting replacing Mr Darboe are not UDP members.
“So, I think they are trying to fool some of our unsuspecting supporters by telling them that Darboe is the reason why UDP is not winning and if we remove him and bring in a younger person, they will support the party. It’s all lies because those people will never support the UDP. So I can tell you in no uncertain terms that all those who are genuine supporters of the party have great trust in Mr Darboe,” he said.
Sabally argued that Mr Darboe is still the most popular and loved person in the UDP and the ultra-unifying factor.
“I repeat the UDP needs Ousainu Darboe more than he needs UDP because that old man could have easily resigned and enjoyed himself but like he always says he cares about his legacy because he knows that he doesn’t own the party but he was entrusted to lead it and he owes it to those who formed it to keep fighting. So, this is not the right time for him to resign,” he said.
He added: “People said Ousainu Darboe is old and should be replaced by a young person but when he was going out into the streets to face the soldiers in 2016, where were the young people? They said he is old but in the United States – President Joe Biden is older than Ousainu Darboe. Why should he not rule this country? They said Darboe is old but Malaysia has just elected a 75-year-old as their Prime Minister and he is older than Ousainou Darboe. Why should Darboe not be president in this country?
So, those who are saying Darboe cannot be president in this country … I heard President Barrow saying during his tour that when he leaves office a younger man is going to take over from him but I want to tell him that Ousainu Darboe will take over from him and not a young man,” Sabally said.
He urged UDP supporters to put their trust in the UDP because it’s the only political party that can rescue the country.
Sabally said the National Assembly has all the avenues to impeach President Barrow.
“I have evidence that could be used to impeach President Barrow,” he concluded.
