In a stunning blow to the United Democratic Party (UDP), twenty key executive members and position holders from the West Coast Region announced their immediate resignation from both their roles and party membership on September 27, 2025. The resignations, detailed in a letter addressed to the UDP Administrative Secretary in Banjul, have sent shockwaves through the party’s regional structure, raising questions about internal unity and future political strategies.
The letter, signed by prominent figures including Sirimang Kuyateh (Regional Committee Treasurer), Modou Simaga (Deputy Treasurer), Fatou Khan (Deputy Secretary of the Women’s Wing), and Alhagie Camara (Chairman of Nyambai Ward), cited no specific reasons for the mass exodus but expressed gratitude for past cooperation. The group respectfully requested that their decisions be accepted, signaling a firm resolve to part ways with the UDP.
Among the notable resignations are Ebrima Ceesay, Chairman of Kombo East Constituency, Daniel Mendy, UDP National Executive Treasurer, and Momodou Jallow Gibba, Chairman of Foni Berefet Constituency and the overarching Foni UDP leadership. The list also includes Alhagie SM Jobarteh, administrator of UDP Online TV Media, and several members from constituencies such as Brikama South, Foni Bondali, and Busumbala, reflecting a broad cross-section of the party’s regional leadership and grassroots base.
The resignations span critical roles, including campaign managers, women’s wing organizers, and ward-level members, potentially weakening the UDP’s organizational capacity in the West Coast Region, a key battleground for politics. The letter was copied to the Regional Administrator, Constituency Secretary, and Ward Secretary, ensuring formal notification across party structures.
While the UDP leadership in Banjul has yet to issue an official response, analysts suggest that internal disagreements or strategic shifts may have prompted the mass exit. The absence of stated reasons in the resignation letter has fueled speculation about underlying tensions within the party.
As the UDP grapples with this significant loss of regional leadership, political observers are closely monitoring the potential impact on its influence in the West Coast Region ahead of the 2026 Presidential elections. The resigning members have not indicated whether they will join another political party or pursue independent paths, leaving their next moves uncertain, but sources said they are likely to join a soon-to-be breakaway party expected to be formed by KMC Mayor Talib Ahmed Bensuoda, who also resigned his post earlier this month after withdrawing from the UDP flagbearer post, which Veteran Leader Ousainou Darboe later won.
The UDP, one of The Gambia’s major opposition parties, now faces the challenge of rebuilding its regional framework in the wake of this unprecedented setback.
