Momodou Satou Dibba has resigned as vice chairperson and member of the Coalition 2026 Mediation Committee, citing a loss of confidence in the direction of negotiations aimed at uniting opposition parties ahead of The Gambia’s December 2026 presidential election.
In a statement announcing his resignation, Dibba said he joined the committee as a governance and political affairs professional, hoping to contribute to efforts to develop a common electoral strategy capable of bringing the opposition together.
He said his decision to step down followed disagreements over the framework adopted to determine the structure and leadership model of the proposed coalition.
According to Dibba, the Coalition Mediation Committee had recommended a weighted voting system that would consider the relative size, organisational strength and previous electoral performance of participating political parties when deciding whether the coalition should be party-led or candidate-led.
However, he said a majority of the participating political entities opted for a one-party, one-vote system, granting each party equal voting power regardless of its electoral strength or nationwide presence.
Dibba said the voting arrangement ultimately resulted in the adoption of a candidate-led coalition model.
He explained that he and other participants who supported a party-led coalition raised concerns about the process but decided to remain involved in the negotiations in the hope that a broader consensus could still be reached.
Recent developments, however, had convinced him that the outstanding disagreements were unlikely to be resolved, he said.
“Rather than continuing to engage with a process I do not believe in, I herein respectfully end my role as member and vice chairperson of the CMC with immediate effect,” Dibba said.
Despite his resignation, Dibba expressed appreciation to the opposition political parties and his colleagues on the mediation committee for allowing him to participate in the negotiations.
“I appreciate the opportunity the opposition political entities and my colleagues in the CMC accorded me to participate in these talks and wish them well,” he said.
Dibba said he remained willing to support future coalition-building initiatives that recognise party size, organisational presence and previous electoral performance when determining representation and decision-making within an opposition alliance.
