By: Nyima Sillah
Momodou Sabally, Campaign Manager of the United Democratic Party (UDP) enunciated that President Adama Barrow and his close associates would never want to leave power.
Momodou Sabally made this remark following President Barrow’s declaration of his intention to contest in the 2026 presidential elections while he is yet to reach half of the ongoing term in office.
Speaking to The Voice in an exclusive interview, UDP Campaign Manager said “I am not surprised that Barrow has announced his intention to stand for a third term. What else should Gambians expect from a leader who destroyed a draft constitution costing more than D100 million just because that constitution would limit him to two terms?
“Barrow and his close associates would never want to leave power because the flamboyant lifestyle they have adopted can never be sustained by their own work and honest business earnings.”
He stressed that they need to remain in power to continue with their corrupt deals so that they can continue to enjoy their expensive lifestyles.
However, he said President Barrow deliberately refused to mention anything about Gambia’s petroleum resources and the plans to drill that oil during his State of the Nation Address.
“Barrow knows that the huge oil resources we have, cannot be drilled before 2026; so he wants to stay for a third term so that he and his cabal of corrupt state officials can loot the funds that would come with the drilling of our crude oil resources,” he alleged.
Meanwhile, when asked if Darboe will contest in the 2026 presidential elections, he said the United Democratic Party has only one leader and that is H.E Ousainou Darboe. “Therefore, he is our candidate for 2026.”
And they (UDP), he said, are completely confident that they will win the 2026 presidential election “in shaa Allah,” while adding that they have that faith that Gambians have had enough of corruption, hyper-inflation and unemployment under Barrow.
“Our level of preparedness was manifested in the recently concluded local Government elections. With our consistent winning of the popular vote in these polls, there is a clear indication of the certainty of a UDP government in 2026,” Sabally expressed with confidence.
