Essa Mbye Faal, leader and secretary general of APP Sobeya, has articulated his belief that President Adama Barrow will not succeed in the 2026 presidential election, contending that the government’s policies fail to align with the needs and priorities of the Gambian populace.
During an interview with West Coast Radio, Faal expressed his anticipation of a shift in public opinion against the current administration.
“In this coming election, Barrow will go down simply because his policies are not aligned with the priorities of the people,” he stated.
Faal referenced figures from a CepRass report, asserting that there is significant discontent regarding the government’s economic management. He stated that 75% of respondents assessed the government’s economic performance as poor. How can any government find satisfaction in that?
He also referenced wider issues regarding governance, noting that 62 percent of respondents expressed dissatisfaction with the country’s administration. Regarding corruption, he stated that 68 percent of respondents felt the government was underperforming.
“68% of Gambians say the government is handling corruption very badly,” he stated, emphasizing that public perception continues to be largely unfavorable and that numerous citizens perceive minimal advancements in addressing the matter.
Faal further indicated that economic hardship is impacting a broad spectrum of individuals, including certain supporters of the ruling party, and forecasted that voters would ultimately advocate for change.
“The Barrow government will fall, even if people doubt it now. By every measure, its performance has been very poor,” he stated.
He also stated that President Barrow has “only eight months remaining,” noting that this would change only “if Gambians vote against their own interests.”
Reflecting on the 2021 election, Faal contended that Barrow’s victory was more indicative of a deficiency in confidence regarding alternative candidates than a robust endorsement of his leadership.
“Barrow capitalized on a scenario where individuals lacked trust in my ability to win or confidence in alternative candidates,” he stated. “They opted for continuity; however, this does not imply that he was genuinely their first choice.”
