By: Momodou Gagigo
The Alliance for Progressive Citizens (APC) has officially installed Modou Lamin Sima as its new party leader at a ceremony held at his private residence in Burusubi on Saturday.
The event, which drew hundreds of supporters from across the country, turned into a powerful display of opposition unity when Kebba Madi Bojang, leader of the National Democratic Party (NDP) and a former senior member of the ruling National People’s Party (NPP), dramatically crossed over in solidarity with the APC platform.
Bojang’s appearance sent the crowd into ecstasy and delivered the day’s most quoted line: “We are here to deliver this country from the hands of the wrong people.”
Bojang warned that fragmented opposition forces must set aside differences and unite against what he described as the NPP’s failed leadership. “We have the same goal,” he repeated, urging immediate collaboration to rescue The Gambia from economic decline and social decay.
The NDP leader reserved his sharpest criticism for the country’s spiraling youth unemployment crisis. “It has become so bad that young men are now afraid to marry because they cannot feed a family,” Bojang said. “Without jobs, desperation pushes our children into crime. That is why our courtrooms are full of young Gambians charged with stealing – not because they are criminals by nature, but because the system has abandoned them.”
His remarks were echoed by prominent APC figure Omar Jorbateh, who called the jobs emergency “a ticking social time bomb.” Jorbateh demanded policies that create immediate employment, empower young entrepreneurs, and restore dignity to Gambian families.
Modou Lamin Sima formally accepted the APC flag-bearer mantle. The new leader promised to lead with inclusivity, accountability, and an unwavering focus on progress. “Today marks the beginning of a new chapter,” Sima declared, to deafening cheers.
Political observers described Saturday’s gathering as the clearest signal yet that opposition forces are moving toward a broader coalition ahead of the December 2026 elections. The symbolic fusion of APC and NDP supporters under one banner has already sparked speculation about a possible united front against the ruling party.
With economic hardship, youth unemployment, and rising crime dominating national discourse, the APC’s leadership transition has injected fresh energy into the opposition’s long-stated mission: to offer Gambians an alternative that restores hope and delivers results.
