Africa-Press – Gambia. The United Democratic Party (UDP) has been dealt a major blow following the resignation of two senior figures from the party and its leadership structures.
Yahya Karafa Sonko, the party’s National Campaign Manager, and Malick Sowe, a member of the National Executive Committee (NEC), both tendered their resignations today, citing a loss of confidence in the party’s current direction and values.
Sonko, who joined the UDP in 1996, reflected on his long-standing service and contributions to the party. In his resignation letter, he expressed deep disappointment with what he described as a departure from the principles on which the UDP was founded.
“It is therefore with immense sadness that I must state I have lost faith in the party I once loved. The party has lost its way. The UDP of today is not the one we built in 1996,” Sonko stated in his resignation letter.
He added that his decision was not made hastily but stemmed from a matter of principle, noting that he could not continue leading campaigns for a party whose prospects he no longer believed in. Despite his resignation, Sonko expressed gratitude to UDP Leader ANM Ousainu Darboe, senior members, and grassroots supporters for their years of collaboration.
Similarly, Malick Sowe criticized the party’s internal practices, particularly what he described as the unfair treatment of Talib Ahmed Bensouda, whom he hailed as “a dedicated and visionary member.”
In his resignation letter, Sowe argued that the sidelining of Bensouda reflects a culture that undermines merit and talent within the UDP.
“If a man of Talib Bensouda’s stature, capability, and pedigree can be so utterly sidelined and disrespected, then it is clear that the prospect of a fair and meritocratic path to leadership within the UDP is an illusion, he started.
He added that this reality not only dims his own prospects of ever aspiring to roles such as the party’s flagbearer, but also extinguishes hope for future generations within the UDP.
“This reality closes the door not just on my own potential to ever aspire for a role like the party’s Flagbearer, but more importantly, it shuts out any future for my children within this organization,” Sowe added.
The resignations of Sonko and Sowe follow similar departures by other prominent UDP members in recent days, signaling growing internal discontent. Their exit is expected to have significant political ramifications, both for the UDP and for the broader national political landscape.
For More News And Analysis About Gambia Follow Africa-Press
