Yusupha Darboe, former executive secretary of the United Democratic Party’s (UDP) UK chapter, has dismissed fears that Kanifing mayor Talib Ahmed Bensouda could turn his back on the party as President Adama Barrow did after his 2016 election victory.
In an interview with JollofNews, Darboe said speculation over Bensouda’s loyalty is misplaced, describing him as a disciplined and principled politician. “Talib Ahmed Bensouda is someone who is very disciplined. People think that what President Adama Barrow did to the UDP, Talib Ahmed Bensouda will also do the same thing to the party. But anyone who has met him will see his good manners and good morals,” he said.
Darboe linked the current concerns to what he called mistakes from the past. He argued that Barrow was not chosen as flag bearer on merit but on the advice of a marabou who claimed he could defeat former president Yahya Jammeh.
“The party was mentally not prepared and was not considering the potential of the person they were bringing,” he said. “If someone like Honourable Halifa Sallah had been chosen, he would have honoured the three-year agreement.” Darboe described the decision as a “common mistake” by some party members at the time but stressed that it should not be used against the UDP as a whole.
The former UDP UK secretary said his resignation was motivated by what he sees as a lack of empathy for Bensouda, who recently lost his father and is also facing a Commission of Inquiry. “What makes things so painful is that Talib Ahmed Bensouda is grieving; he lost his father. Gambians should have respect for people, Gambians should have respect for humanity. For that reason alone, I think it does not go with my principles of humanity that’s why I tendered my resignation,” he explained.
Darboe emphasised that his departure does not mean he has turned his back on the UDP. He said he continues to support Bensouda and would stand by him if he returned to take up a position within the party. “I am in solidarity with Talib Ahmed Bensouda and anytime he wishes to go and take his position with the UDP I am always behind him,” he told JollofNews.
Although he remains a supporter of Bensouda, Darboe said it is too early to discuss the possibility of endorsing him for the 2026 presidential election. Instead, he expressed hope that the mayor could resolve issues with his “political father” and restore his position in the UDP.
Darboe thanked the party’s leader, Lawyer Ousainou Darboe, and its members for their support during his tenure, saying he had never been insulted or ridiculed. “When you are with people or in a group, and you happen to take a back seat, it’s not like the group is not good,” he said.
He ended by reaffirming his loyalty to the UDP while taking a parting shot at the current administration. “The UDP is still better than Adama Barrow and his government,” he said.
