Lamin J. Darbo Disqualified from UDP Flagbearer Race Over Dual Citizenship Rule – Raises Concerns Over Internal Democracy and Fairness
- Gunjuronline.com
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
Prominent Gunjur-born barrister Lamin J. Darbo has been ruled out of the United Democratic Party’s (UDP) flagbearer race due to an internal party regulation requiring candidates to renounce any dual nationality within the 14 days application window.
Darbo, a UK and US-trained Doctor of Jurisprudence and head of the Dabanani Law Centre, expressed disappointment over the development, calling it procedurally impossible to meet the 14-day requirement due to the lengthy process of renouncing British citizenship.
“So my message to the numerous supporters who contacted and encouraged me to apply is that I cannot complete the renunciation of my British citizenship within the UDP window,” Darbo said.
But his concerns went deeper than the technicality of disqualification. The soft-spoken lawyer questioned the overall fairness and democratic integrity of the party’s internal processes.
“Are we about to witness the preferential treatment accorded to the Secretary General and Party Leader in flagrant disregard to internal due process?” he asked, suggesting that internal rules are not applied evenly.
He also raised concerns about how loyalty and commitment are measured within the party structure.
“For example, how is loyalty to the UDP and commitment to its principles demonstrated between non-executive members who contribute financially and executive members who do not contribute to the party’s coffers? In the 2020 UDP congress, I was in the United Kingdom and I contributed D10,000 to the event — twice more than the contribution of the entire executive committee that year, according to the treasurer’s financial report.”
Further questioning the party’s democratic credentials, Darbo alleged that the flagbearer selection process in 2021 was equally flawed and undemocratic.
“In 2021, there was no democratic process in the selection procedure because out of the four applicants, only Ousainu Darboe was given a hearing,” he claimed.
“The other applicants were not even invited to participate in any interview or conversation. I know this because I had applied for the flagbearer position that year. The Secretary General and Party Leader was simply anointed in flagrant violation of UDP selection rules and universal principles of democratic process.”
He added that recent comments by senior party figures touting UDP’s internal democracy ring hollow in light of his personal experience.
“This is germane as I recently heard Dr. Manneh reference me to demonstrate UDP internal democracy,” he concluded.
Darbo’s public remarks have ignited fresh debate within political circles about transparency, fairness, and inclusivity within Gambia’s leading opposition party as it prepares to select its next presidential candidate.