Gambiaj.com – (BRIKAMA, The Gambia) – Brikama Area Council Chairman Yankuba Darboe of the United Democratic Party (UDP) has provided his personal assessment of his party’s 2021 electoral defeat, highlighting a mix of alleged malpractices by the ruling National People’s Party (NPP) and internal shortcomings within the UDP as the main contributing factors.

Addressing members of the UDP diaspora during a meeting in Brikama, Darboe cited a series of irregularities that he claims undermined the electoral process. These included the participation and registration of ineligible voters, inflation of the voter register, and widespread vote-buying allegedly orchestrated by the NPP.

Allegations of Irregularities

Darboe detailed how ineligible individuals were reportedly registered to vote, exacerbating what he described as voter register inflation. “The NPP knows very well that the UDP was not taking up those figures. After the closure of official registration every day, they would go to Majum Estate and register more people. That is why they were able to register thousands of ineligible people,” Darboe alleged.

He criticized the UDP’s inability to obtain credible data to challenge the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) on its claim of registering over 900,000 voters, adding that the party’s focus on monitoring registration centers for non-Gambians overlooked critical scrutiny of daily registration figures.

Darboe also accused the NPP of engaging in divisive and ethnically charged political campaigns. According to him, the ruling party’s use of ethnic rhetoric swayed voters, while the UDP’s focus on policy-oriented messaging and its “5-point agenda” failed to counteract these narratives.

Internal Weaknesses

In addition to external challenges, Darboe acknowledged internal weaknesses within the UDP. He criticized the party’s decision to deploy polling agents who lacked the necessary education and training, leaving the UDP unable to effectively monitor and challenge election-day processes.

“Our messaging too was very poor in 2021, and our polling agents were mainly concerned about the registration of non-Gambians at the registration centers, not the number of people being registered,” he said.

Darboe suggested that the party’s inability to respond robustly to the NPP’s divisive strategies and allegations of tribalism further eroded its standing with voters. “People were waiting to see how and what UDP’s response would be to those tribal rhetorics, but the election ended without the UDP coming out to clarify those bigotries. That really affected us,” he admitted.

Looking Ahead

Looking forward to the 2026 elections, Darboe emphasized the need for the UDP to adopt a different approach to counter what he described as the NPP’s “strategies.” He revealed that he had warned party leaders before the 2021 elections of potential manipulations by the IEC, including delays in announcing results to accommodate alleged plans by the ruling party.

“They have used so many strategies to win the elections, and we must confront and counter those devices and close them up before we can get what we want,” Darboe stated.

Darboe’s remarks also reflect a broader reckoning within the party about the need to address internal inefficiencies in their quest to regain political ground.

Source: Standard Newspaper