Gambiaj.com, (BANJUL, THE GAMBIA) – Ebrima Nyang, the former Administrative Secretary of the Gambia Democratic Congress (GDC), has defected to the opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) and called on Gambians to vote for UDP leader Ousainou Darboe in the December 5 presidential election.
Nyang announced his decision in an interview with The Grand Bantaba of What’s On-Gambia, saying he believes the UDP provides a credible alternative for the national transformation he wants to see in The Gambia.
He said his decision was driven by his belief in accountable governance, economic recovery, national unity and stronger democratic institutions.
“I am convinced that the leadership, organizational structure, and policy direction of the UDP offer a credible pathway towards the national transformation Gambians deserve,” Nyang told What’s On-Gambia.
He also pointed to the UDP’s stated positions on presidential term limits, constitutional reform, economic policy, and development programs as areas that align with his political outlook.
Nyang’s move to the UDP comes less than a month after he resigned from the GDC following the party’s decision to enter into an alliance with President Adama Barrow’s ruling National People’s Party (NPP).
In September, Nyang said the GDC-NPP alliance conflicted with his belief in presidential term limits and argued that it could undermine democratic principles. The GDC accepted his resignation and described him as a loyal and diligent party official.
His opposition to the alliance had been evident before his resignation. In an earlier public statement, Nyang questioned the rationale for supporting President Barrow’s bid for another term, arguing that the president’s political priority was power rather than addressing the country’s broader problems.
“Supporting a President whose only reason for seeking a third term is for the survival of his party. We have tons of problems as a country, but not Barrow’s problem because it is more about power and not progress,” he wrote.
Nyang has also remained a critic of the 2021 presidential election outcome. In a recent Facebook post published about a week before his latest move, he reiterated his longstanding position that the election was rigged and argued that the legal challenge mounted by the UDP should have proceeded.
“I still believe the 2021 election was rigged, and my position remained the same. There would have been another election if the UDP court case proceeded,” he wrote.
The 2021 presidential election was won by Barrow, who received 53 percent of the vote, while Darboe finished second.
Nyang’s political shift also marks a reversal from his earlier position on opposition coalition-building. In October 2025, while still GDC Administrative Secretary, he supported efforts to unite opposition parties but argued that no party leader should be imposed as a coalition flagbearer.
His decision now places him firmly behind Darboe as the opposition landscape continues to realign ahead of the December election.
Leave a Reply