Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – The Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC) has reaffirmed its commitment to unity and women’s leadership as the party prepares for its mandatory biannual congress scheduled for this Saturday. Senior party officials emphasized the pivotal role of women and grassroots mobilization in shaping the party’s future ahead of the 2026 national elections.

Speaking to The Gambia Journal, APRC Deputy Spokesman Doudou Jah clarified that the congress will not be an elective one but will serve as a platform to evaluate the party’s progress and adopt resolutions to guide its strategic direction. “Like any legally registered party, APRC is holding a mandatory biannual congress as stipulated by the laws of the country, even though APRC internal regulations cater for a congress every four years. This one will not be an elective congress. That one is scheduled for 2026 when the party will chart its way forward ahead of the series of national elections,” he said.

Jah highlighted the importance of inclusivity and expressed hope for reconciliation with a breakaway faction backed by former President Yahya Jammeh. “About unity, APRC has not formally sent invitations to the breakaway faction backed by Yahya Jammeh, but the party remains open to welcoming any member in the fringe,” he stated.

Unity and grassroots mobilization were also echoed by Bakso Jaiteh, a senior party member, who described the congress as a milestone for strengthening party cohesion. “Saturday’s congress is the congress that sets the pace for unity and mobilization before 2026. The APRC breakaway faction comprises militants who still believe in the original party’s unity. I have held several informal meetings with such militants and breakaway people of authority in my house, and we all agree that, in the best interest of the party and The Gambia, those who took a wrong path must come back,” Jaiteh noted.Douodu

Both officials underscored the central role of women in the APRC’s legacy and future vision. Jah emphasized that the party has already adapted to the regional trend of women holding top political positions. “The party remains supportive of women. They are a central piece of our national politics, and their role in the life of the party is essential. The deputy party leader is a woman; the secretary general is too,” he remarked, adding that the APRC will continue to empower women and entrust them with greater national responsibilities.

Jaiteh reflected on the APRC’s historic contributions to gender equality, pointing out that the party led the way in appointing women to key national positions. “Our party gave the country the first female vice president, the first female speaker of the parliament, and a lot of permanent secretaries and senior-level positions. We will continue to prioritize gender equality and empowerment within our party and in the country as a whole,” he said.

Delegates at the congress are expected to deliberate on strategies to advance women’s leadership, promote unity within the party, and solidify its capacity to compete effectively in the 2026 national elections. “What will transpire from this congress will determine the level of unity and mobilization at the party’s grassroots level,” Jaiteh stressed.

After weathering the challenges of its critical alliance with President Adama Barrow’s National People’s Party (NPP) and enduring the political fallout from the excesses and abuses of Yahya Jammeh’s regime, the APRC is charting a course to regain more influence and rebuild support in The Gambia’s evolving political landscape.