By Fatoumatta Sillah
President Adama Barrow has urged opposition parties to contest the upcoming December presidential election on their own, questioning their confidence in forming a coalition to defeat him.
Speaking during the inauguration of the Brufut–Madiana–Banyaka–Kunkujang Mariama road project, the President dismissed ongoing coalition discussions among opposition groups, describing them as unnecessary if individual parties are strong enough to win.
“I have seen that there are opposition coalition talks aimed at removing me from the presidency. But if they truly believe in themselves, they should stand alone—there is no need to form an alliance. Let them contest solo; President Barrow is here,” he said.
He argued that any electoral defeat the opposition may suffer in the upcoming polls would be greater than their performance in the 2021 presidential election, although he did not provide specific figures.
The President also used the platform to caution voters to critically assess political promises ahead of the polls, noting what he described as a growing number of political parties in the country.
He referred to some of them as “briefcase parties” and “social media parties,” suggesting that not all political actors had strong grassroots structures or consistent national presence.
Highlighting his administration’s record, President Barrow said his government had played a key role in restoring democracy in The Gambia and insisted that continued stability depended on his leadership.
“If I am not the president of this country, many of them will leave,” he added. He expressed confidence that his government’s development agenda and ongoing infrastructure projects would secure him another term in office, saying his performance in office would be a key factor in the election outcome.
