EDITORIAL: Darboe Must Act Now or Risk UDP’s Collapse

The United Democratic Party (UDP) stands at a dangerous crossroads. The recent public outcry by Yankuba Darboe, the West Coast Region Chairman, has ripped the veil off internal tensions that have long simmered beneath the surface. His admission of deep mistrust and division within the party and his pointed accusations against “Team Talib” confirm what has now become undeniable: the UDP is in crisis.

The party’s internal power struggle is no longer a private affair. It is a matter of national interest. As the country’s leading opposition force and a serious contender for state power, the UDP must be held to a higher standard. Its internal cohesion or lack thereof has a direct impact on The Gambia’s democratic future.

At the center of this storm is UDP leader and Secretary General, Hon. Ousainou Darboe who must now directly address the power struggle among the potential leadership successors of the UDP. His legacy, credibility, and leadership are on the line. For too long, Darboe has maintained a strategic silence, perhaps hoping that the tensions between potential successors, notably Yankuba Darboe, Talib Bensouda and Rohey Malick Lowe would resolve themselves. That silence can no longer be sustained.

The party risks imploding under the weight of its own ambitions. Factionalism, power grabs, and subtle undermining have taken precedence over the broader national goal of unseating President Adama Barrow and ending the dominance of the ruling National People’s Party (NPP). If the UDP cannot govern itself, how can it convince the Gambian people it is fit to govern the nation?

Hon. Darboe must urgently take the reins and lead. He must speak publicly, not only to the UDP faithful but to the nation. The people deserve clarity, unity, and vision, not infighting. He must call for a truce, set out a clear process for leadership transition, and emphasise that the party’s interest must always supersede personal ambitions.

Without immediate and decisive action, the UDP risks descending into permanent opposition, forfeiting the trust of a public hungry for change. The time for maneuvering is over. This is the moment for leadership or the end of a political legacy.