Africa-Press – Gambia. Halifa Sallah, the veteran politician and leader of the People’s Democratic Organisation for Independence and Socialism (PDOIS), has dismissed growing speculation about his possible return to frontline politics ahead of The Gambia’s 2026 presidential elections, stating unequivocally that he is not seeking any political position—either within his party or the government.
In an interview, Mr. Sallah responded to calls from supporters urging him to reenter the political arena, stressing that his focus has shifted from electoral competition to national unity and civic empowerment.
“Some people asked me to come back—that is love. But I did not respond. I did not say I am back. Nobody should think that I am looking for positions. I don’t want their position,” he said.
Mr. Sallah, long regarded as one of The Gambia’s most principled and ideologically consistent political figures, underscored that his current mission is to rally citizens around shared ideas rather than personalities or political office.
“What I wanted was to bring together all the people that love this country and campaign—not for who becomes president—but to rescue our nation,” he said.
Reflecting on the historic 2016 opposition coalition that ended Yahya Jammeh’s 22-year rule, Mr. Sallah said its primary goal was to prove that sovereignty rests with the people.
“After succeeding in that, I believe Gambians are now independent. We removed the slavery from their hands. Now, the one that remains is in their minds, and we have to address that,” he added.
In 2021, after running for president and failing to secure victory, Mr. Sallah announced his retirement from electoral politics, declaring that if he could not realize his objectives within five years, he would not pursue them again.
“That is why I said in 2021 that I am done. If I win and cannot achieve my goals within five years, then I will know that I cannot achieve them again,” he said. “But we have set the country on the right path, and if we don’t win, we still remove mental slavery—and I will know it was the will of the people.”
Mr. Sallah further revealed that he had stepped aside from active party leadership to operate as an independent voice, with the hope of leading a broader, nonpartisan national campaign.
“I told the people of PDOIS that I will excuse myself from your position so that I can be independent,” he said. “What I wanted was to do an individual campaign across the country—not one centered on who should be president, but one focused on salvaging our country.”
Source: Kerr Fatou Online Media House
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