By: Alieu Ceesay
Ousainu Darboe, flagbearer of the United Democratic Party (UDP) led Alliance for the 2026 presidential elections, on Saturday hailed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding for the Gambia First Alliance as a historic step toward opposition unity and a people-focused government.
In a statement delivered at the ceremony, Darboe described the occasion as a “great day for our country” and expressed profound gratitude to alliance partners whose presence marked the culmination of sincere engagement between senior party members. He said the partnership was built on trust, confidence and shared values, with the collective goal of offering Gambians “believable reasons” to support a new administration.
“What we are affirming here today with our signatures and public pledge is beyond the agreements we are formalizing,” Darboe said. “It is a vivid demonstration that diversity in politics can also inspire and drive unity in the pursuit of shared values.”
He acknowledged that the political groupings differed in several respects but shared a common desire for a government centered on the priorities of the Gambian people. The UDP, he added, values good ideas and would work with partners to serve the nation’s diverse population.
Addressing skepticism about opposition unity, Darboe insisted that coalitions pursued with sincerity, honesty and transparency could succeed. “In the absence of doubt, with an abundance of clarity and the participation of men and women of goodwill, any alliance or mechanism of cooperation built will endure and succeed in its goals,” he said.
Darboe welcomed his “dear and Honorable colleagues,” thanking them for prioritizing The Gambia and aligning with the UDP. He stressed that while his name would appear on the ballot, the campaign would be collective. “I am you, and you are me,” he declared, describing every alliance partner as equally the candidate.
He extended an open invitation to other opposition parties not present, urging them to join hands to “save our country.” There were no unresolvable differences, he said, and history would favor those who sacrificed for the greater good. A new government in December 2026 was what citizens deserved, he added, calling for a mutually agreed five-year reform agenda.
Darboe urged alliance partners to begin grassroots mobilization in homes, bantabas, farms and markets. He called on the UDP family to embrace partners warmly and on the diaspora to continue supporting efforts to “rescue our country.”
“May God bless our efforts and bless our country,” he concluded.
