United Democratic Party (UDP) leader Ousainou Darboe has been confirmed as the party’s presidential flag-bearer, warning that The Gambia is on the wrong track and must be “rescued” from failed leadership.
Darboe, the UDP’s long-serving Secretary General, said his decision to stand is not driven by personal ambition but by an urgent sense of duty. “These elections are not about me,” he declared. “It is about rescuing The Gambia. It is about putting the interest of the Gambian people above all privileges of the politicians.”
The veteran politician accused those in power of squandering opportunities while ordinary Gambians suffer. He promised to take the fight directly to corruption, create jobs for restless young people, and fix a healthcare and education system that he said has been neglected for too long. “Gambians deserve better than broken promises and failed policies,” he said. “They deserve a government that delivers.”
Although he was the only candidate to emerge from a rigorous vetting process, Darboe praised his fellow aspirants as “qualified, dedicated and ready to be the flag bearer,” describing the process as proof of the UDP’s democratic tradition. “All of us in the party are the winners,” he said, contrasting the party’s transparency with what he called the empty slogans of a government more interested in clinging to power than serving the people.
Darboe urged UDP supporters to bury their differences and focus on removing a leadership he said has lost touch with the public. “What unites us is far bigger than any minor differences as individuals,” he told delegates. “Disagreements can and should be resolved through dialogue and consensus.” He described dialogue as “the strength of the humble and the wise,” in stark contrast, he argued, to the arrogance and division coming from the current administration.
With his nomination secured, Darboe pledged to campaign across the country to win back trust and restore hope. “Together, as a Gambian force, we can rescue our nation and build a future of dignity, justice and opportunity,” he declared to loud applause.
For Darboe, this election is not just a contest of ballots but a fight for the soul of the country. Under his leadership, the UDP is now mobilising nationwide, determined to end what he calls years of squandered chances and betrayal of the Gambian people.
