By: Kemo Kanyi
Ebrima Tabora Manneh, leader of the opposition People’s Alliance Party (PAP) has stated that forming a “genuine opposition coalition” ahead of the 2026 presidential election is the only way-forward to unseat President Adama Barrow.
Mr. Manneh suggested that such a political union should be based on national interest and not just for the convenience of coalition as it was done in 2016, stating that citizens are expressing discontent with the current system to the extent of showing more appreciation to the predecessor of the current government. He noted that this shows how frustrated Gambians feel.
“We don’t want a coalition in which some members will deem themselves as more educated or have more political understanding than fellow coalition members. If we do that, we will be selecting people who look after their interest, and this will defeat the purpose of our union,’’ he told The Voice in an exclusive interview at his party’s HQ in Banjul.
The PAP leader advised politicians against what he described as “hunger for leadership positions”, adding that every politician should avoid deceitful political mechanisms to secure top positions. He stated that some politicians try to trick electorates by playing smart tactics to secure top positions.
“Politicians must build trust between us and electorates. We should avoid deceitful political tricks for self-gains. If we are to form a coalition, Gambians must be adequately informed of the reasons. Transparency is a key factor in achieving success. No one can deceive Gambians anymore because they have learned from the past experiences,” added Mr. Manneh.
He hinted that most Gambians want to remove the current administration from office, arguing that the government has mismanaged public funds, misled, and eventually failed to register successes aspired by Gambians.
“So, with a genuine coalition, I believe we can unseat this government because Gambians would be ready to put their weight behind the opposition to remove the Barrow administration,” the APP leader asserted.
The young political leader advised the electorates to put the interest of the country at the forefront, adding that they [voters] should not allow themselves to be subjected to accepting favours in exchange for votes.