Africa-Press – Gambia. President Adama Barrow has dismissed efforts by opposition parties to form a coalition ahead of The Gambia’s December 2026 presidential election, saying their maneuvering reflected weakness and predicting that his National People’s Party would remain in power for “100 years.”
Speaking at celebrations marking the sixth anniversary of the NPP, Mr. Barrow said the opposition’s changing rhetoric underscored his political strength. He noted that critics once claimed he had little popular support and could be easily defeated, but now argue that only a united opposition coalition could remove him from office.
“They used to say I had no supporters,” Mr. Barrow told party loyalists. “Now they say I can only be defeated through a coalition. That alone shows they do not believe in themselves.”
Mr. Barrow went further, asserting that opposition parties would remain out of power for decades. “The opposition will remain opposition for a long time,” he said, adding that the NPP would govern the country for a century.
Referring to the United Democratic Party, the country’s largest opposition group, Mr. Barrow said it no longer believed it could defeat him on its own. He argued that internal divisions within the UDP had further weakened its prospects, saying the party had splintered into three factions.
“If they could not unseat me when they were united,” he said, “how can they do so now that they are divided?”
As the election year approaches, Mr. Barrow also criticized the proliferation of new political parties, describing some as “briefcase parties” with little grassroots support. He accused opposition figures of attempting to lure members of the NPP to their ranks, a strategy he said would fail.
“They are going after our members because they know they cannot defeat us,” he said. “But our people know they cannot benefit the country.”
The president urged supporters to remain united and wary of opposition appeals. “What have they done for The Gambia since their parties were established?” he asked. “Do not allow hypocrites to divide you.”
Mr. Barrow, who first came to power in 2017 following the defeat of longtime ruler Yahya Jammeh, is expected to seek re-election in 2026.
For More News And Analysis About Gambia Follow Africa-Press
