Opposition alliances in The Gambia should be measured by principle, not by the explanations politicians offer, APeX chairperson Dr. Jaye Krubally has said, questioning how a party that presents itself as a government-in-waiting can negotiate with fellow opposition groups while also talking to the ruling National People’s Party (NPP).
She made the remarks on The Final Take with MK, hosted by journalist Sainey Marenah of The Alkamba Times, as debate intensifies over shifting alliances ahead of the December 5 presidential election.
Marenah asked why a party that considers itself next in line would hold talks with other opposition parties and the NPP at the same time, and whether recent moves by politicians — including Gambia Democratic Congress leader Mama Kandeh — should surprise anyone.
Dr. Krubally said they should not. Years of watching Gambian politics, she argued, have taught her to expect changes of allegiance. What disappoints her, she said, is a recurring lack of principle: decisions too often serve a party or an individual rather than the public.
“Politicians will frame this as national interest,” she said, while questioning whether those explanations always match their real motives.
On Kandeh’s alignment with President Adama Barrow, she acknowledged his stated belief that he can work with the president for the country’s betterment. She also said there is nothing inherently wrong with working with the opposition. Her concern, she added, is consistency: whether leaders apply the same standard when they explain their choices to supporters.
APeX, a volunteer body that presents itself as a neutral convener, has spent more than a year trying to broker cooperation among the opposition, but thier efforts failed last week after parties could not agree on a united front to take on incumbent President Adama Barrow. Some parties later formed coalitions, including Gambia First UDP-led and Coalition 2028 of Unite-led, and others, including elements of the United Democratic Party, pursued separate arrangements. Kandeh’s GDC moved toward an NPP-led alliance, a shift that split his party.
Krubally’s remarks add to a wider argument about trust and motive as the campaign calendar shortens.
