The United Democratic Party’s (UDP) leader and flag-bearer, Ousainu Darboe, has expressed astonishment at recent acts by Kanifing Mayor Talib Ahmed Bensouda, saying he did not anticipate the Kanifing mayor’s political shift.
Darboe disclosed in an interview on Eye Africa TV that he had previously believed Bensouda’s declarations that he had no plans to run for president in 2026.
Darboe stated, “I believed Talib, so I stood up for him.” He repeatedly informed me that he was not running for president. He claimed that his primary goal was to distance himself from prospective rivals.
Darboe claims that these guarantees were given at meetings he personally called to allay suspicions that certain people were prioritizing Bensouda’s personal goals over the interests of the UDP as a whole. Rohey Malick Lowe, the mayor of Banjul, Chairman Yankuba Darbo, and Chairman Landing B. Sanneh were among those who attended one such meeting, he added.
Darboe clarified, “I called those meetings because there were allegations that some people were endorsing Talib rather than the UDP.” It turns out that he was marketing himself rather than the party, but I still believed him because I loved him.
The UDP leader also denied rumors that his application for the party’s flag-bearer role was unknown to Mayor Bensouda. He said that in an interview with Coffee Time with Peter Gomez, he publicly declared his plan to run for the nomination, adding, “Anyone saying they didn’t know I applied is just fooling the people.”
“Why didn’t Talib ask me if he didn’t know?” Darboe asked. “They were well aware that I had applied.” he stated.
Although he never voiced any doubts about the mayor’s capacity to manage the campaign successfully, Darboe stated he was saddened by Bensouda’s resignation as the UDP’s National Organizing Secretary.
In addition, he questioned the intentions of those who resigned with Bensouda. He questioned, “Does the entire party suddenly have a problem when there’s a problem with Talib?” “A number of them haven’t been with the UDP long enough to claim that the party has evolved.” Darboe asked.
Darboe claimed that Bensouda’s exit and the establishment of a new political movement were intentional acts. “One cannot simply depart from an established party and create a movement within a month unless it was planned,” he remarked, alluding to Kemo Bojang’s prior assertion forecasting a division following the selection of the flag-bearer.
Darboe reiterated that he did not promise Bensouda the position of UDP flag-bearer, highlighting that he is not the sole individual capable of making that decision. “The flag-bearer is chosen by the selection committee, while Congress determines the party leader,” he stated.
