By Omar Bah
Even with more than a year to go before the 2026 presidential elections, the main opposition United Democratic Party UDP is manifesting a deep rift over who shall be the party’s next presidential candidate.
Many observers said the party’s leadership conundrum is rooted in uncertainty over veteran leader Ousainu Darboe’s future as flag bearer with many calling for a generational shift.
The recent debate has reignited old tensions and exposed new rifts within the party’s ranks.
The controversy resurfaced following public comments by Banjul Mayor Rohey Malick Lowe, who claimed the UDP is now split into two rival factions: one loyal to party leader Ousainu Darboe and another aligned with Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) Mayor Talib Ahmed Bensouda. Mayor Lowe further accused the party leadership of failing to protect her from internal attacks.
While Lowe has distanced herself from leading any faction, she acknowledged that if camps exist, they are centred around Darboe and Bensouda—not her.
Some party members, like Yunus Hydara, have openly advocated for Mayor Bensouda to take over as flag bearer, arguing that the party needs a younger, more dynamic leader to challenge President Barrow in 2026. Hydara’s public calls for Darboe to step aside led to his expulsion from a UDP diaspora WhatsApp group, exemplifying the intensity of the internal debate.
In the current online debate, marked by aggressive exchanges, a new phenomenon emerges which seems to suggest that there are other supporters who prefer BAC chairman Yankuba Darboe as flag bearer.
Despite the heated exchanges, UDP’s official stance is that no flag bearer has been selected for 2026, and any debate on the matter is premature.
Party spokesperson Almami Taal recently emphasised that the flag bearer will be chosen at the party congress in 2026, in accordance with UDP’s constitution. Taal dismissed the current speculation as unnecessary, urging members to focus on national issues instead of internal politics.
Similarly, Mayor Bensouda himself has labelled the flag bearer debate a “distraction” that only benefits the ruling National People’s Party (NPP), warning party members not to fall for external attempts to sow discord within the members of the party.
UDP’s senior administrative secretary, Alhagie S Darboe, is on record to have recommended deletion of all party forums holding discussions related to the flag bearer issue, arguing that such debates risk dividing the party ahead of a critical election.
Commentators said the lack of a clear succession plan and the persistence of internal factions threaten to undermine the UDP’s standing as Gambia’s main opposition party.
With the NPP consolidating power and attracting defectors, the UDP’s internal strife could alienate voters seeking stability and clear direction.
“The UDP’s split over its next flag bearer is more than a personal rivalry; it is a test of the party’s ability to manage succession, maintain unity, and present a credible alternative to the ruling party. With the 2026 presidential election looming, how the UDP navigates this internal challenge may determine its future relevance in Gambian politics,” one observer noted.
For now though, the party leadership insists that the time for such decisions is not yet at hand, even as the debate continues to simmer both online and offline.
