Gambiaj.com – (Mankamang Kunda, The Gambia) – President Adama Barrow has stirred fresh controversy ahead of the December 5th presidential election, suggesting that United Democratic Party (UDP) leader Ousainou Darboe could concede defeat even before the race formally begins.
Speaking as he outlined plans for this year’s Meet the Farmers Tour, scheduled for September, President Barrow said the exercise would carry more political significance than previous editions, framing it as a turning point in the run-up to the polls.
The president suggested that once the tour gets underway, the political landscape could shift so decisively in his favour that Darboe may be compelled to approach the Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) and concede defeat before nominations for candidates are even completed.
Barrow appeared confident that his government’s mobilization efforts, coupled with what he described as a changing political landscape, would leave the opposition struggling to keep pace in the lead-up to December.
With September approaching, attention is now turning to the Meet the Farmers Tour as a possible early indicator of the political temperature heading into the election season.
New Alliance With Mama Kandeh’s GDC
GDC leader Mama Kandeh in Barrow’s family residence of Mankamangkunda, URR
The president’s remarks came against the backdrop of a widening coalition around his ruling National People’s Party (NPP), following the reception of Gambia Democratic Congress (GDC) leader Mama Kandeh at his family residence in Mankamang Kunda on Wednesday.
In a statement issued after the meeting, President Barrow described the encounter as a significant show of political solidarity ahead of the December polls.
“I was delighted to welcome our new political allies, GDC Jimara and URR, led by the party leader, Honourable Mama Kandeh, to my hometown, Mankamang Kunda. Speakers assured me of their unwavering support as we prepare for the December 5th presidential election,” the president said.
He added that he had expressed gratitude for the show of solidarity and urged the GDC to work closely with the NPP and other members of his alliance.
“Together, victory is inevitable,” Barrow said.
Widening Political Realignment
The reception of Kandeh in Manakamangkunda, who previously contested the presidency on his own ticket, marks a notable realignment of Gambian politics ahead of the December vote, further consolidating the NPP-led coalition’s reach in the Upper River Region and Jimara constituency, both traditional GDC strongholds.
Neither the UDP nor Ousainou Darboe had responded to President Barrow’s remarks at the time of filing this report. The Gambia Journal will provide updates as reactions emerge from the opposition and other political stakeholders ahead of the September Meet the Farmers Tour.
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