The Gambia: President Barrow expands NPP coalition ahead of elections

As The Gambia approaches the December 5 presidential election, President Adama Barrow’s ruling National People’s Party (NPP) is expanding its political coalition. The All Peoples Party-Sobeyaa (APP-Sobeyaa), led by Essa Mbye Faal, has confirmed an agreement in principle to join the NPP-led alliance. This follows the earlier addition of the Gambia Democratic Congress (GDC) to the ruling bloc.

During the inauguration of a 4.5-kilometer beachside road in Gunjur, President Barrow called for political unity, urging opposition figures, including APP-Sobeyaa leader Essa Mbye Faal and United Democratic Party (UDP) leader Ousainou Darboe, to join his administration to focus on national development rather than campaign rivalries. Barrow suggested that resources currently spent on elections should be redirected toward infrastructure and livelihoods.

In response to the shifting political landscape, the opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) held a rally in Kotu. UDP leader Ousainou Darboe presented his party as a necessary alternative to the current administration, citing issues such as electricity shortages and the high cost of living. Darboe pledged that a single five-year term under his leadership would allow for constitutional reform and economic stabilization.