President Adama Barrow and Works, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Ebrima Sillah have rejected a recent opinion poll by civil society organisation Gambia Participates, which reportedly indicates significant support for the newly formed Unite Party in the West Coast Region and Kanifing Municipality.
Speaking at a political mega rally in Lamin, President Barrow questioned the credibility of the survey’s findings and dismissed the suggestion that a newly established political movement could defeat his ruling National People’s Party (NPP) in areas traditionally considered important political strongholds.
“If a political party that is just crawling wins the West Coast Region and the Kanifing Municipality, then we will stop politics,” Barrow said.
The president said the poll had attracted his attention to the extent that he contacted West Coast Region Governor Lamin Bojang to discuss its predictions.
Barrow’s remarks come as political parties and alliances intensify preparations for the December 2026 presidential election, with the political landscape becoming increasingly competitive.
Minister Ebrima Sillah also challenged the findings of the Gambia Participates survey, focusing particularly on the methodology used to conduct the poll.
Sillah argued that credible public opinion polling must follow established statistical principles and questioned the basis on which the organisation arrived at its conclusions.
“We know those who gave Gambia Participates money to conduct the survey,” Sillah alleged, while challenging the organisation to publish the raw statistics and underlying data used to produce its findings.
The minister also disputed claims that tens of thousands of voters had abandoned the ruling NPP, pointing to President Barrow’s previous electoral performance as evidence of the party’s continued strength.
Sillah recalled that Barrow had previously secured victory by a margin of more than 200,000 votes and rejected suggestions that more than 70,000 voters had since shifted away from the NPP.
“We know those who gave Gambia Participates money to conduct the survey,” he said, calling for greater transparency over the poll’s funding and methodology.
Looking ahead to the December presidential election, Sillah expressed confidence that the NPP remains on course for another strong electoral performance.
He said the ruling party is targeting as much as 75 percent of the national vote, while setting a minimum expectation of between 60 and 62 percent.
