The United Democratic Party (UDP) has sharply criticized President Adama Barrow’s recent national address, labeling it a “hollow” attempt to dodge accountability amid growing public unrest.
In a scathing press statement, the UDP condemned Barrow’s refusal to launch a presidential inquiry into the controversial sale of former President Yahya Jammeh’s properties, calling his decision to delegate the matter to the National People’s Party (NPP)-dominated National Assembly and the National Audit Office (NAO) a “calculated delay tactic” to suppress scrutiny.
The UDP highlighted Barrow’s inconsistent stance on the NAO, noting his past dismissal of audit reports as “mere opinions” when they exposed scandals like the D300 million Gambia Ports Authority fraud and missing COVID-19 funds. The party questioned his sudden trust in the NAO, citing a pattern of ignoring critical reports, including the Faraba Banta inquiry and Truth, Reconciliation, and Reparations Commission (TRRC) recommendations. The UDP also pointed to the anti-corruption law, passed under pressure but unenforced, as evidence of Barrow’s reluctance to tackle graft.
Barrow’s promise to implement recommendations “to the letter” was dismissed as empty rhetoric, with the UDP recalling unfulfilled pledges, including his vow to serve only three years, support term limits, and advance the 2020 draft constitution. The party accused the NPP-controlled National Assembly of lacking impartiality, referencing its rejection of the 2020 constitution to protect Barrow’s term ambitions and its opposition to diaspora voting.
The UDP further criticized Barrow’s government for stifling dissent, citing blocked anti-corruption protests and threats against activists like Madi Jobarteh, whom Barrow accused of inciting unrest. The party argued that the address underscored Barrow’s intolerance for accountability.
In response, the UDP demanded an independent presidential commission to investigate Jammeh’s asset sales, free from NPP influence, alongside the immediate implementation of TRRC and Faraba Banta recommendations, the release of all audit reports with prosecutions, and an end to the denial of protest permits.
The UDP vowed to continue its fight for justice through legal action, protests, and the 2026 elections, warning that Gambians see through Barrow’s “theatrics.” As tensions rise, the opposition’s demands signal a deepening divide, with the public awaiting Barrow’s next move.
