Here’s a polished and more news-style rewrite:
The Coalition Taskforce Mediation Committee (CTMC) has concluded its seventh Strategic Session at the Baobab Hotel and officially launched the nomination process for selecting a Coalition Flagbearer ahead of The Gambia’s December 5, 2026 presidential election.
In a press statement issued on Sunday, the CTMC announced that invitations had been extended to all participating political parties and movements following a full day of deliberations on Saturday. Discussions focused on several key agenda items, including a review of the coalition’s 25-Point Common Agenda for national reform, the adoption of a Coalition Governance and Accountability Framework, and the finalization of eligibility criteria for the selection of a coalition flagbearer.
Delivering the opening remarks, CTMC Chairman Professor Yerro Mballow emphasized the importance of discipline, unity, and collective purpose among opposition parties.
“The only solution to all the problems of The Gambia is the unity of the opposition. I urge all opposition parties to unite around a shared vision for the betterment of our nation,” he stated.
Professor Mballow also reminded delegates that the coalition process remains guided by a strict code of conduct designed to foster trust, cooperation, and mutual respect among participating stakeholders.
The session was hosted by former Vice President Her Excellency Fatoumata Jallow Tambajang, leader of the Democratic Renaissance Party (DRP), who welcomed delegates and reflected on lessons learned from the historic 2016 coalition.
She urged political leaders to place national interest above partisan considerations, pointing to ongoing challenges such as corruption, a struggling healthcare system, declining educational standards, and rising youth unemployment.
“History will not judge us by the speeches we make today,” she said. “It will judge us by the courage we show, the unity we build, and the solutions we deliver for the Gambian people.”
Tambajang also reaffirmed the DRP’s ten-point “The Gambia First” agenda, which prioritizes democratic governance, gender equality, youth empowerment, economic sovereignty, and environmental sustainability.
CTMC Secretary Ebrima S. Bah presented the minutes of the committee’s previous session, which was hosted by the People’s Alliance Party, and moved for their adoption. The plenary subsequently approved the minutes with amendments.
The committee further announced that all coalition participants have been formally requested to submit nominations for the coalition flagbearer to the CTMC Secretariat in line with the eligibility criteria adopted during the Baobab Hotel meeting. The CTMC will review all submissions and supervise a consensus-driven process aimed at selecting a single credible candidate to represent the Coalition for Competence and National Unity in the 2026 presidential election.
The committee also confirmed that its eighth Strategic Session will take place on Saturday, June 13, 2026, at Metzy Residence in Senegambia. The meeting will be hosted by Essa Bokar Sey, leader of Forward Gambia.
