UDP leader says party will challenge President Barrow independently after withdrawing from opposition coalition talks
United Democratic Party (UDP) leader Ousainou Darboe has launched a blistering attack on President Adama Barrow’s administration, accusing the government of failing to fulfil key campaign promises, neglecting Gambian farmers and using symbolic financial interventions to mask deeper economic problems.
Speaking at a press conference announcing the UDP’s withdrawal from the Alliance for Democracy and Development (ADD) coalition, Darboe said his party had chosen to stand by its principles rather than compromise in coalition negotiations. He declared that the UDP would now focus its efforts on directly challenging President Barrow and the ruling National People’s Party (NPP) in the 2026 presidential election.
A significant portion of Darboe’s address centred on the government’s handling of agriculture, which he described as one of the administration’s greatest failures.
Questioning President Barrow’s campaign commitments to improve farmers’ incomes, Darboe argued that the prices paid for agricultural produce have remained largely unchanged for the past three years despite rising inflation and the increasing cost of living.
“How can you imagine the President giving a promise a promise that’s intended to secure votes that will increase salaries by 30% for average farmers for produce? The price of their produce has remained stagnant for the past three years,” Darboe said.
He criticised what he described as the government’s tendency to celebrate limited financial support while failing to address the structural challenges facing the agricultural sector.
Referring to the government’s announcement of D1.6 million in support for farmers during the rainy season, Darboe said such measures were inadequate and failed to tackle the long-term issues affecting agricultural production and rural livelihoods.
“This is not a government that really is willing to address the problems of the farmers,” he stated.
Darboe pledged that a UDP-led government would prioritise agriculture through policies aimed at improving farmers’ incomes, increasing investment in the sector and ensuring producers receive fair value for their crops.
The veteran politician also portrayed the UDP as the country’s most consistent force against corruption, arguing that the party has spent three decades defending democratic values and holding governments accountable.
Highlighting the party’s electoral strength, Darboe maintained that the UDP has remained President Barrow’s strongest political challenger despite competing against a broad alliance of parties supporting the incumbent.
“Barrow and his grand alliance were contesting against UDP as a single party, and you see what we’ve done. We’ve shown that we alone could do it,” he declared.
Darboe said UDP’s decision to withdraw from the ADD coalition reflects its determination to preserve its principles rather than enter into political arrangements that could undermine the party’s identity or vision.
He called on patriotic political parties, civil society actors and Gambians seeking political change to unite behind the UDP in the lead-up to the next presidential election.
UDP’s withdrawal from the coalition negotiations marks a significant shift in the Gambia’s opposition landscape, with the party now preparing to contest the 2026 presidential election independently while intensifying its campaign against President Barrow’s administration.
As the political atmosphere continues to build ahead of the election, Darboe’s remarks underscore the growing battle over economic performance, governance and the future direction of The Gambia.
