Africa-Press – Gambia. United Democratic Party (UDP) leader Ousainou Darboe has elaborated on how political alliances are negotiated during elections.
In a recent interview , Darboe said the UDP has consistently been willing to collaborate with other opposition parties during election periods. He stressed, however, that the party has never abandoned a coalition or alliance since its formation.
Darboe explains that coalition-building depends on the positions of the participating parties. “In every negotiation, parties outline their positions and engage in discussions to reach an agreement. Declaring a position is not an imposition,” he remarked
He added: “When making a public declaration of what your position is, it doesn’t mean that it is an imposition. We just want to make it clear that we stated our position, and we never shied away from stating it.” According to him, negotiations only occur because parties adopt positions.
On the role of surveys in informing public choices, Darboe said UDP’s response will depend on a careful review of the results. “We have to properly scrutinize, interrogate, and arrive at a conclusion,” he stated. He emphasized that the party would support a candidate likely to defeat the incumbent president if the survey was genuine, credible, and free from manipulation.
Regarding succession planning within UDP, Darboe said naming potential successors prematurely would be unfair. He noted that the party has numerous capable individuals who could lead in the future. “People who are intelligent, patriotic, committed, and respectful of the party’s values can emerge,” he added.
