Africa-Press – Gambia. United Democratic Party (UDP) leader and Secretary General, Lawyer Ousainu Darboe, has stated that his decision to contest the upcoming presidential election is driven by loyalty to the party and its founding members, rather than personal ambition.
Speaking during an interview with Peter Gomez on West Coast Radio, Darboe underscored the challenges he has endured, including imprisonment and personal humiliation, as well as the stress inflicted on his family, highlighting that these experiences have not deterred him from his political mission.
“I’m not in this for personal ambition; if I were in it for personal ambition, I would have walked away. The party members have a lot of confidence in me, and they realize that Ousainu Darboe is not in this for personal ambitions. Otherwise, what I endured in prisons, the humiliation that has been meted out to me, I mean the stress that my family has been subjected to, I could have said, Look, it is not worth it,” he said.
Darboe further emphasized that stepping back now would constitute a betrayal of the people he began serving in 1996.
“You know, if I did that, then the day I took up leadership in 1996, I would have betrayed the people then, and then my joining the fray in 1996 would be falsified if I paid attention to what is really happening to my family, the humiliation that I have been going through; then I will not be true to the people,” he stated.
The UDP leader reflected on the party’s broader mission, noting that the initial objective was to remove the previous administration of Yahya Jammeh—a goal he says is partially achieved. He stressed that his continued participation is aimed at consolidating democratic governance, mentoring younger party members, and ensuring a smooth transition of leadership.
“It is now to see a good government in place, during a weak period, continue to mentor the younger members of the party, and ultimately hand over. I have always told them that, look, I have the baton, I’m looking behind me, and I don’t want that baton to drop. It has to be handed over, and it will be handed over,” Darboe said.
He also emphasized his respect for the party’s founding members, stating that their legacy informs his decision to run. However, he added that he would step aside if the party deemed it necessary.
“I am running again because I am paying particular heed to those members of the party who were the founders because their legacy is tied to my legacy,” he added that, “Honestly, if the UDP feels that I should not really run, I will gracefully bow out, but the call is for me to run, and it is not a stage-managed call. I have never stage-managed anything in my political career; things come spontaneously,” he said.
For More News And Analysis About Gambia Follow Africa-Press
