Africa-Press – Gambia. Ebrima Dibba, deputy national organizing secretary of the United Democratic Party (UDP), has defended his support for Talib Ahmed Bensouda as a potential presidential candidate, insisting that his position is a personal opinion and not an act of disloyalty.
In a leaked WhatsApp audio exchange with a fellow party member, Mr. Dibba urged the UDP to prioritize candidates capable of winning elections and improving the lives of Gambians.
“UDP, do you want to be in the opposition until the end of this world, or do you want a change of government so that livelihood can be easy for people?” he asked in the recording. “Let’s make a change that can give us victory, and that is my opinion.”
Mr. Dibba pointed to Mr. Bensouda’s electoral record, noting that the mayor of Kanifing Municipal Council has twice been elected with strong public support. Backing him, Mr. Dibba said, is about ensuring the party’s future.
“The person that you made mayor two times, and the people like him—that is my opinion for us to make him our presidential candidate,” he said.
Mr. Bensouda, who previously sought the party leadership but later withdrew his bid, remains a divisive figure within the UDP. Mr. Dibba’s open endorsement has drawn criticism from some members, though he dismissed the backlash as misplaced.
“I do not change my opinion for anything,” he said. “I did not insult or tarnish anybody’s image, and I did not take anything from anybody. I just say let’s try to select this person as our candidate. If that is a disaster, then it has been with people.”
Mr. Dibba added that internal democracy must allow for differing views. “You said the party is democratic, but you don’t want anybody to express their opinion,” he said. “If I think that selecting somebody can give us victory, and if saying that makes me a bad person, then I will accept it.”
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