A group of founding members, executive officers and regional chairpersons of APP-Sobeyaa have publicly rejected the party’s reported alliance with the ruling National People’s Party (NPP) and called for the immediate resignation of party leader Essa Mbye Faal.
In a press release dated 24 September 2026, the signatories said they “do not agree to the APP-Sobeyaa alliance with the National People’s Party (NPP).” They accused Faal of joining the ruling party “without due process” and violating the party constitution, which they said requires Congress to ratify such a decision.
The former All Peoples Party (APP) was registered in January 2020 and later merged with the Sobeyaa Movement to form APP-Sobeyaa. Faal was elected leader at a congress on 21 December 2024. The group said the original APP stood for a “democratic, people-centered government,” transparency, accountability, job creation and support for youth, women and persons with disabilities.
They argued that the association with Sobeyaa had been based on those principles, but that Faal had “decided to deviate from these principles.” As a result, they said they “completely disassociate ourselves from this decision” and called on Faal to resign as secretary general and party leader. After stepping down, they added that he would be free to join any party of his choice as an individual.
The statement informed the public, party members and sympathizers that they “are not a party to Essa Mbye Faal’s alliance with the NPP.” Further steps would be communicated later. In the meantime, Deputy Party Leader Maila Touray, a founding member of the original APP, would coordinate subsequent actions.
Touray signed the release, along with Alhagie Babou Jeng, a regional chairman and founding member; Sir Jackal Cham and Mam Seedy Njie, both founding members; Mbye Jobe, a regional chairman; and Saidina Kebbeh, deputy chairman and founding member.
The move comes amid reports that APP-Sobeyaa had reached an agreement in principle with the NPP ahead of the December 2026 presidential election, a significant shift given Faal’s earlier criticism of President Adama Barrow’s government. The dissenters framed their stance as a defense of internal democracy and the party’s founding ideals.
A group of founding members, executive officers and regional chairpersons of APP-Sobeyaa have publicly rejected the party’s reported alliance with the ruling National People’s Party (NPP) and called for the immediate resignation of party leader Essa Mbye Faal.
In a press release dated 24 September 2026, the signatories said they “do not agree to the APP-Sobeyaa alliance with the National People’s Party (NPP).” They accused Faal of joining the ruling party “without due process” and violating the party constitution, which they said requires Congress to ratify such a decision.
The former All Peoples Party (APP) was registered in January 2020 and later merged with the Sobeyaa Movement to form APP-Sobeyaa. Faal was elected leader at a congress on 21 December 2024. The group said the original APP stood for a “democratic, people-centered government,” transparency, accountability, job creation and support for youth, women and persons with disabilities.
They argued that the association with Sobeyaa had been based on those principles, but that Faal had “decided to deviate from these principles.” As a result, they said they “completely disassociate ourselves from this decision” and called on Faal to resign as secretary general and party leader. After stepping down, they added that he would be free to join any party of his choice as an individual.
The statement informed the public, party members and sympathizers that they “are not a party to Essa Mbye Faal’s alliance with the NPP.” Further steps would be communicated later. In the meantime, Deputy Party Leader Maila Touray, a founding member of the original APP, would coordinate subsequent actions.
Touray signed the release, along with Alhagie Babou Jeng, a regional chairman and founding member; Sir Jackal Cham and Mam Seedy Njie, both founding members; Mbye Jobe, a regional chairman; and Saidina Kebbeh, deputy chairman and founding member.
The move comes amid reports that APP-Sobeyaa had reached an agreement in principle with the NPP ahead of the December 2026 presidential election, a significant shift given Faal’s earlier criticism of President Adama Barrow’s government. The dissenters framed their stance as a defense of internal democracy and the party’s founding ideals.
