Presidential Adviser Dou Sanno has sparked controversy within the United Democratic Party (UDP) by bluntly stating that party leader Lawyer Ousainou Darboe’s presidential ambitions are unlikely to materialise.
In an unexpected and candid move, Sanno urged party members to prioritise the party’s future by removing three key figures, a recommendation that has left many questioning UDP’s internal dynamics.
Speaking at the National People’s Party (NPP) reunion meeting at Kerr Serign, Sanno named Darboe, Aji Yam Secka, and Aja Yamundow Yabou as obstacles to UDP’s return to power.
“You know the UDP will have a problem if they do not get rid of these three individuals, namely Lawyer Ousainou Darboe, Aji Yam Secka, and Aja Yamundow Yabou,” Sanno said. “Darboe knew he would never be president in this country and would not want to give a chance to anyone simply because that seat is his source of survival. If he had to give it out, he wouldn’t survive anymore.”
He described Secka and Yabou as “Tom and Jerry,” suggesting that their continued presence in the party could prevent UDP from ever leading the country.
“Aji Yam Secka and Aja Yamundow Yabou are individuals surviving on UDP. If you do not get rid of them, you will never smell the presidency,” Sanno warned. “I never said UDP cannot handle other government institutions because what they are looking after is the root of the tree. I will tell them that they cannot sit under that big tree whose branches have dried down. Of course, they may benefit from the dry branches, but they will not be able to uproot the tree. They are pushing and dragging us into trouble, and I advise that we avoid trouble. Trouble is not something that will yield any benefit to The Gambia, including the animals in the bush.”
Sanno’s remarks come amid growing tension within the party. On Saturday, UDP members staged a demonstration at the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) headquarters in Kanifing, calling for an independent and autonomous electoral body a move Sanno described as a “very big mistake.”
The adviser’s blunt assessment of Darboe’s presidential prospects and his call to remove top party figures has sparked heated debate over loyalty, leadership, and the future direction of UDP.
As the party grapples with these internal divisions, the coming weeks could prove critical in determining its strategy ahead of future elections.
