By: Kebba Ansu Manneh
United Democratic Party (UDP) North Bank Region Spokesperson Karamo Njie has strongly condemned comments attributed to Lawyer Assan Martin, Spokesperson of Coalition 2026, describing them as misplaced, provocative, and reflective of personal dislike for UDP Party Leader Lawyer Ousainou Darboe.
Njie emphasized that no amount of political blackmail or brinksmanship will diminish the strong support, love and admiration Gambians continue to hold for Darboe. He stressed that propaganda will also fail to reduce the affection UDP supporters and sympathizers have for party executives Lare Ceesay and Lamin Manneh.
The reaction follows alleged suggestions by Martin that Ceesay and Manneh should step forward as UDP flagbearer contenders. UDP officials interpreted the comments as an attempt to sideline Darboe from contesting the next presidential election on grounds of age and to create space for younger leaders.
“What we as UDP supporters want to make clear to our opponents and people like Lawyer Assan Martin is that no amount of political blackmail or brinksmanship will diminish the support, love and admiration Gambian people continue to have for our party leader,” Njie said. “Lawyer Martin is not a UDP member nor a sympathizer and therefore has no constitutional or moral right to suggest to us who should be the flagbearer of the UDP.”
Njie added that the party is fully aware of the political games, theatrics and propaganda directed against UDP leadership. “We want to tell him that no amount of political rhetoric or propaganda will make us dislike Dr. Larry and Lamin Manneh. These two distinguished Gambians have proven themselves both in The Gambia and overseas.”
He further stated that individuals bent on smearing the UDP leader have never voted for the party and will not do so, driven only by hatred. UDP supporters, he affirmed, stand firmly behind Darboe not because of his age but because of his courage, sacrifices, wisdom and love for the country, qualities that set him apart from other living Gambian politicians.
Turning to recent political developments, Njie described the decision by Honorable Mama Kandeh to align with President Adama Barrow as an act of desperation and greed rather than patriotism. He argued that a gradual loss of support base, financial distress and dwindling prospects of becoming president drove Kandeh toward the ruling National People’s Party (NPP).
Njie also accused Kandeh of playing a double standard by engaging in dual discussions with both Coalition 2026 and the NPP. Such behavior from a senior politician, he said, reveals the kind of president Kandeh would have been and leaves him with no other option than to join Barrow’s camp.
Looking ahead, Njie declared the 2026 presidential election a foregone conclusion in favor of the UDP. He recalled that the party demonstrated its strength and resilience just three months after its 2021 presidential defeat by sweeping popular votes in National Assembly, councillorship, mayoral and chairmanship contests across the country.
Njie concluded that the UDP remains confident of victory in 2026 regardless of circumstances, insisting that the party’s grassroots support and organizational might remain intact.
