President Adama Barrow has said he is happy to get into the ring again with political godfather Ousainu Darboe in the 2026 presidential election, describing it as a rematch of the 2021 showdown.
There has been mounting pressure for both leaders to step aside in 2026 with Barrow completing two terms while Darboe unsuccessfully contesting five presidential elections.
However, there is no indication that either Barrow or Darboe will give in to the pressure.
Welcoming new entrants into the National People’s Party at the State House over the weekend, including key UDP decamper Ramzia Diab, President Barrow said: “I want to seize this opportunity to congratulate my father because it looks like we are returning into the wrestling arena, what the English call a rematch. So, I congratulate him on that because it’s clear President Barrow will wrestle with his father again. I am happy about that a lot because saying that President Barrow will not run again because he completed two terms is just idle talk. You’re a wrestler, I am a wrestler and you’re saying I cannot wrestle, that’s idle talk. It’s the referee who should decide whether I am disqualified or not,” the president said to a raucous laughter from the audience.
“All of this is because they are afraid of me. If you see a wrestler handpicking who should or should not wrestle, it means he’s scared,” he added.
The president welcomed the new additions and urged them to work hard because it’s their record that will make a difference in the election.
“Let’s leave talking to others. Let’s concentrate on work. My in-law used to tell me that Allah doesn’t pay wisdom, he pays work. No matter how wise you’re, there’s no reward. In 2026, our work will speak for us. That’s what we want,” he said.
Legal battle
In July 2023, the UDP filed a lawsuit at the Supreme Court challenging the legality of the appointments of 6 presidential advisers.
The suit sought for the Supreme Court to declare that the appointments of presidential advisers; Dembo Bojang, Lamin Cham, Henry Gomez, Dodou Sanno, Sulayman Camara and Lamin K Saidy are unconstitutional.
Speaking briefly on the matter, President Barrow questioned the timing of UDP’s suit against his advisers, saying Darboe never told him anything about the potential illegality of such appointments when he was in government.
“When we were all here in government, these people hold the same positions. Lamin Cham, UDP youth president, was here. Dembo ‘Byforce’ Bojang, UDP national president, was here. Darboe didn’t say anything and he has never come to me to say this is against the law and he is a lawyer. Now he is picking up papers and going to courts,” he said.
“He should have told me President Barrow, this and that are against the law. He didn’t do it. That shows whatever he’s doing is politics just to scare people and take them from NPP but The Gambia has gone past that now. People are enlightened and know what’s going on. He {Darboe} said even this highway isn’t good and not smooth enough. I want to tell him to bring his car and I will give him a new one, then he will know this road is good,” he said.
