Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – Essa Mbye Faal’s withdrawal from the Coalition 2026 presidential flagbearer contest, just minutes before delegates were due to vote, has dramatically altered the race and left Mayor Talib Ahmed Bensouda as the leading contender for the opposition coalition’s presidential ticket.
Faal, who was among the principal contenders in the race, pulled out after negotiations over the selection of a running mate failed to produce an agreement. His departure came after a day of intense discussions among coalition members seeking to resolve differences before the final vote.
Sources familiar with the negotiations said Faal’s camp had proposed that whoever finished second in the flagbearer contest should automatically become the running mate of the eventual winner.
The proposal was not accepted by the other contenders.
Faal subsequently entered the meeting and announced that he was withdrawing from the contest, saying he could not continue after his proposal was rejected. He also questioned whether the selection process could still be considered fair.
Bensouda’s position strengthened
Faal’s withdrawal leaves Bensouda, the UNITE party leader and Mayor of Kanifing, in a potentially stronger position as delegates prepare to determine the coalition’s candidate.
UNITE has invested heavily in Bensouda’s presidential campaign over the past three years, according to the All People’s Party (APP-Sobeyaa), which on Saturday separately announced its withdrawal from the coalition talks.
APP-Sobeyaa said it had become concerned that Bensouda’s supporters may not accept any outcome other than his selection.
“We have taken note of the position communicated from the UNITE camp that, having invested heavily in the campaign of Mayor Talib Bensouda over the past three years, they may not be prepared to accept any outcome other than his leadership,” the party said.
The party said it respected UNITE’s right to support its candidate but argued that “a coalition cannot be built on the assumption that one candidate must win.”
With Faal now out of the race and APP-Sobeyaa outside the process, the contest could effectively become a battle over whether the remaining parties can rally around Bensouda or whether another contender can consolidate enough support to challenge his position.
APP-Sobeyaa adds to a turbulent process
APP-Sobeyaa’s withdrawal adds another major complication to an already turbulent coalition process.
In its statement, the party said it had participated in the talks in good faith but could no longer support a flagbearer selection process it considered lacking in “fairness, transparency, and credibility.”
The party also raised concerns over alleged improper conduct and inducements, although it did not provide specific details or evidence in the statement.
APP-Sobeyaa further cited unresolved disagreements over the coalition’s proposed governance framework, the running-mate arrangement, and difficulties encountered by participants seeking to rejoin the process after temporarily stepping away to attend to internal party matters.
The party said it was unwilling to “lend our legitimacy” to what it described as a compromised process.
What happens to the opposition coalition?
The twin developments, Faal’s withdrawal and APP-Sobeyaa’s exit, put Coalition 2026 at a critical juncture.
Faal had been one of the most prominent figures in the opposition’s attempt to construct a broad-based alternative ahead of the December 5 presidential election. His decision removes a major contender from the immediate flagbearer contest but also exposes the depth of disagreements over how the coalition should be structured and governed.
The running-mate question appears particularly significant.
Faal’s proposal would have created an automatic role for the runner-up, potentially giving the losing candidates a guaranteed stake in the coalition’s leadership. Its rejection suggests that the contenders remain divided over how power should be distributed after the flagbearer vote.
For Bensouda, however, the developments could provide an opening.
If the remaining parties proceed with the vote, his established campaign machinery and UNITE’s sustained push behind his candidacy could make him the candidate to beat. But APP-Sobeyaa’s withdrawal and Faal’s concerns over the process could also undermine the legitimacy of any result unless the remaining coalition partners can demonstrate broad agreement on the rules.
The immediate question is therefore no longer simply who will win the Coalition 2026 flagbearer contest but whether the coalition can preserve enough unity for the eventual winner to present a credible challenge to President Adama Barrow in December.
APP-Sobeyaa said its withdrawal should not be interpreted as an abandonment of opposition cooperation, leaving open the possibility of future engagement with UNITE and other political movements.
“The Gambia deserves a coalition built around the country, not around an individual,” the party said.
Leave a Reply