United Democratic Party (UDP) leader Ousainou Darboe has praised Ismaila Fadera, President of the UDP Students’ Wing, for his leadership and dedication to community service, following Fadera’s recent recognition by Sport Light Gambia. In an impassioned speech, Darboe described the award as a proud moment not just for the party, but for him personally as a father figure and mentor.
“For me, it’s a great honour and pride that someone I can call my son has acquitted himself so well that his community has benefitted from his efforts,” Darboe said. “To be identified and awarded by Sport Light Gambia shows the kind of impact you’ve made. I can walk with my head held high and say my son has no match in The Gambia.”
Darboe also took the opportunity to commend Fadera’s selfless approach to leadership. He highlighted a comment made by Fadera during the award ceremony, in which the student leader rejected personal glory and called instead for collective recognition of his peers.
“That’s the kind of vision I like in our young people,” Darboe said. “You don’t think of yourself—you think of your group. You said, ‘Don’t celebrate me, celebrate us.’ That’s the kind of leadership we need.”
The UDP leader went further, encouraging young members of the party to see themselves as ambassadors ahead of the 2026 elections. He said the youth have a vital role to play in countering what he described as widespread misinformation about the UDP’s role in the Barrow administration.
“There are a lot of lies being spread,” Darboe said. “People say, ‘Why blame Barrow? After all, UDP was in charge of the government.’ But that’s not true. Adama Barrow was an independent candidate. It was not a UDP-led coalition, and we never controlled the government.”
He pointed out that the UDP ceased to have influence in government after March 15, 2019, when its ministers were removed, and that since 2021 the party has not even held a majority in the National Assembly.
Darboe also touched on internal events from his time as Foreign Minister, accusing President Barrow’s close allies of attempting to remove Ambassador OG Sallah from his post in Saudi Arabia for personal gain. He recalled resisting such moves, insisting Sallah’s connections and knowledge were too valuable to discard, especially with Gambia’s preparations for the OIC summit underway.
“They were eying ambassadorial appointments for their cronies,” Darboe said. “I told the president it would be a mistake to remove Sallah. He knew the terrain and had strong ties with the Arab world. But Barrow told me, ‘I’ll consult my technicians.’ Who were these technicians? Alkali Conteh and others who were running the show behind the scenes.”
He accused the Barrow administration of sidelining UDP ministers and undermining their authority, citing an incident involving a Japanese rice grant. According to Darboe, although open bidding was held and a foreign bidder won the tender fairly, President Barrow overruled the decision after lobbying by the Barrow Youth Movement.
“They blocked the award because the winner was a Mauritanian,” Darboe said. “Then they shared the rice among their own people. Even in ministries supposedly under our control, we had no real power.”
Darboe concluded by calling on the party’s youth to rise to the occasion in 2026 and be the voice of truth.
“Young people are the target of false narratives. It’s your job to go out there and tell Gambians the truth. The UDP has never run this government. What they’re saying is nonsense—and 2026 is for you to make.”
