By Basidia M Drammeh
The Gambia is a close-knit society where people are often interconnected through family or community. As a result, rumours frequently contain at least a kernel of truth, even if details remain unverified.
Recent speculation has suggested that President Adama Barrow may be considering stepping down before the December 5, 2026, presidential election, potentially handing over power early. In September 2024, The Voice newspaper reported—citing unnamed sources—that Barrow was planning to anoint business tycoon Muhammad Jah as his successor. The president responded by demanding a retraction and apology, threatening legal action if unmet. He later withdrew the civil defamation lawsuit against the paper and its editor-in-chief, Musa Sheriff, effectively forgiving the matter.
In late 2025 or early 2026, another rumour circulated that Barrow was eyeing Gambia Revenue Authority boss Yankuba Darboe as a potential successor. This was swiftly dismissed by ruling National People’s Party (NPP) figures as baseless.
More recently, Minister of Local Government and Lands Hamat Bah—a key coalition partner and NRP leader—stirred controversy by reaffirming his own presidential ambitions while addressing supporters, even as his party has backed Barrow for 2026. Some analysts interpreted this as positioning amid whispers of a succession search if Barrow opts out.
Social media commentator Robert Melville Robertson recently cited unnamed high-level sources claiming Barrow is seriously weighing abandoning a third-term bid.
These reports, if accurate, would align with Barrow’s original 2016 campaign promise to end self-perpetuating rule in The Gambia. He rose to power pledging a three-year transitional presidency to dismantle Yahya Jammeh’s 22-year dictatorship, then return to business. After winning, he extended his term to the full five years (with support from his political mentor Ousainu Darboe), disbanded the “3 Years Jotna” movement that protested for the original pledge, and formed the NPP in 2019. He secured re-election in 2021.
Critics argue that, despite the 1997 Constitution lacking term limits (allowing a third run), Barrow should prioritise moral legacy over legal entitlement. He promised a “third republic” via a new constitution with reforms—including term limits—but the 2020 draft (and later revisions) was blocked, largely by his allies in parliament, who deemed it unfair to him.
We urge President Barrow to build a lasting legacy as The Gambia’s first leader to voluntarily hand over power after two terms, becoming a model of peaceful transition. No single president can complete every task; unfinished business should not override democratic norms or public expectations. Passing the baton to a fresh face would honor his 2016 commitments, strengthen institutions, and safeguard the democratic gains since Jammeh’s ouster. Rumors aside, the choice remains his—and Gambians’ hopes rest on principled leadership.
