Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – The decision by Talib Ahmed Bensouda, Mayor of the Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC), to withdraw from the United Democratic Party’s (UDP) 2026 presidential flagbearer race and resign from his position as National Organizing Secretary has shed light on the deeper fault lines shaping the party’s internal politics.
While the move surprised few seasoned observers, it underscores the widening gap between the UDP’s outward projection as a modern, democratic party and its inward reliance on traditional power structures that favor Ousainou Darboe’s continued dominance.
A Preordained Outcome
Talib Bensouda’s withdrawal crystallizes a central paradox within the UDP: while the party claims to champion democracy and reform on the national stage, its internal politics remain governed by traditional patronage, loyalty networks, and elder-dominated consensus.
In March 2024, when the debate over the 2026 flagbearer heated up, Ousainou Darboe addressed the issue at the Manjai political bureau during an event honoring Buwa Fofana of the National People’s Party (NPP), who had joined the UDP.
Ousainou Darboe said, “I have a legion of ‘soldiers’ that will stop at nothing to keep me. I’m confident that no one in the UDP wants to take my job.”
After the initial vetting of 11 applicants, the process pivots to grassroots consultations and subjective assessments of “commitment” and “moral standing.”
In practice, this creates space for emotional and loyalty-driven irrational judgments that disfavor challengers. Any serious contender would seem like a traitor and betrayer given the devotion and support Darboe has built up within the party over the years.
That’s why from the outset, Bensouda’s candidacy faced formidable headwinds. The UDP’s selection process, though formally presented as democratic, is structured in a way that reinforces loyalty to Darboe.
Central to this process is the Council of Elders—an influential bloc often described as the embodiment of Darboe’s so-called “legion of soldiers.”
Their role is in the selection process framed as fostering consensus around a single unifying flagbearer, but in reality, their influence has consistently worked to preserve Darboe’s leadership.
The Janjangbureh Legacy and Elders’ Persuasion and Pressure
Much of the current framework was cemented at the November 2022 Janjangbureh Congress, where Darboe’s loyalists consolidated control of the National Executive Committee (NEC).
This body, which has the authority to call an election if consensus fails, is composed of 65 Darboe loyalists alongside 16 regional representatives. Such a composition makes the likelihood of an independent challenger emerging from within the party virtually nil.
Reports indicate that since Bensouda submitted his application, several members of the National Executive Committee as well as elders—acting on their own in support of Darboe—urged him to abandon his bid.
Their arguments often invoked personal history, citing the longstanding ties between Darboe and Bensouda’s parents, while warning that a contested flagbearer race would risk putting on Talib Bensouda “the historic responsibility of dragging Ousainou Darboe’s reputation and political legacy into the mud.”
This mix of personal appeals and political pressure effectively boxed Bensouda into withdrawal.
The Larger Picture
Bensouda’s resignation signals more than just an individual retreat; it reflects the structural challenges facing younger aspirants within the UDP. Figures such as Bensouda embody a new generation seeking to redefine the party’s leadership profile.
Yet, their ambitions collide with entrenched loyalties and a decision-making system that privileges continuity over change, making it impossible for any contender to gain traction.
Darboe’s remarks in March 2024 at the Manjai political bureau, where he asserted that he had a “legion of soldiers” ready to protect his position, now ring truer than ever.
The subsequent developments suggest that the UDP’s internal democracy remains heavily tilted toward preserving his authority rather than opening pathways for renewal.
As 2026 approaches, the question is less about who the UDP’s flagbearer will be and more about whether the party can adapt to generational pressures without fracturing under the weight of its own contradictions.
