Africa-Press – Gambia. The National Youth President of the United Democratic Party (UDP), Haji Suwaneh, has dismissed claims that the party has strayed from its founding principles following the formation of the Unite Movement for Change (UMC) by former members, including Mayor Talib Ahmed Bensouda.
In an interview, Suwaneh emphasized that the UDP’s core values and ideology remain consistent and unaltered. He argued that those who left the party due to perceived ideological differences misunderstood the UDP’s long-standing beliefs.
“Anybody who understands UDP’s ideology before you join the party will not say that the party deviated from its values. UDP’s values never change, so why will you accuse the party of changing?” Suwaneh said.
Suwaneh further revealed that some of the members who resigned have already begun returning to the party, describing the recent departures as part of the normal political process.
“Those who are resigning, some of them are coming back; you will see things happening in the UDP; they don’t come out of the blue,” he said.
He also expressed disappointment that former members chose to leave rather than address their grievances internally. “When you know something is not good when they present it to you, you should have told us that you don’t believe in it. In decision-making, if you are there and something comes up, and you know it is not right, you should add your idea to it,” Suwaneh added.
Describing the situation as a “family matter,” the UDP youth leader stressed that true party loyalists would not abandon the movement so easily. “This thing is a family matter; anybody who knows the UDP and how we operate would not just leave like that because they did not join because of Darboe or anybody,” he concluded.
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