The opposition United Democratic Party’s North Bank Region spokesperson has advised President Adama Barrow to humbly step aside after his current term and allow a capable Gambian to rule.
“I want to advise the president to ignore the likes of Sulayman Camara and all those who are pushing him to run for a third term. I want him to understand that this country has suffered for far too long and deserves resurrection, which he cannot offer,” Karamo Njie told The Standard yesterday.
Njie said a sitting president’s decision to run for re-election can be an intensely personal one, but there are many factors to consider.
“The current political climate and whether it is probably in his, or the country’s, best interest,” he said.
He said President Barrow could leave an unprecedented legacy if he decides not to run in 2026.
“I can assure him that the UDP is not worried about whether he will run or not. I am just advising him to avoid being misled by his ministers and political warriors, who are only interested in safeguarding their positions,” he said. He said Barrow should take the mayoral election as a good example that his popularity is going down and the opposition, especially the UDP, is gaining momentum.
“How could he even tell the Banjul Muslims Elders that he was going to prepare for retirement and now announce a different thing? Is Barrow really listening to himself?” Njie said.
He said the likes of Sulayman Camara, the NPP’s communication secretary, cannot even help the NPP win in his own village.
“They should stop misleading the president and help make the right decision, which is not to seek a third term,” Njie advised.
