Agriculture Minister Demba Sabally has predicted a decisive victory for President Adama Barrow in the West Coast Region in the December 5 presidential election, declaring that the region has shifted from a political battleground to a stronghold of the ruling National People’s Party (NPP).
Speaking to Barrow 2026 Media during the president’s Meet-the-People Tour in Serekunda, Mr. Sabally expressed confidence that the president would strengthen his electoral support across the region, including in Foni, where he believes the NPP could win all five constituencies.
The minister based his prediction partly on the 2021 presidential election results, when Mr. Barrow secured victories across the West Coast Region, including three of the five constituencies in Foni. He argued that development projects implemented by the administration since then had further boosted the president’s popularity and improved his chances of securing a bigger victory in December.
Although he acknowledged that Foni Kansala could remain competitive, Mr. Sabally maintained that the president was well-positioned to capture all five constituencies.
“President Barrow won all the seven constituencies of Kombo in 2021, and this year it will increase. West Coast is no more a battleground; it is President Barrow’s safe zone,” he said.
Mr. Sabally argued that the administration’s development record had significantly altered the political landscape in the region, leaving opposition parties with limited prospects of challenging the president’s electoral dominance.
On the Kanifing Municipality, however, the minister conceded that the NPP still had considerable political ground to cover, particularly given that one of the opposition presidential candidates hails from the municipality.
Without identifying the candidate, Mr. Sabally questioned his performance during nearly eight years as mayor, alleging that his tenure had delivered little meaningful development or tangible improvements to residents.
He also claimed that the candidate’s political influence was waning, arguing that divisions within the opposition would further weaken its ability to mount a serious challenge against President Barrow.
Citing the 2021 presidential election, Mr. Sabally claimed that President Barrow defeated United Democratic Party (UDP) leader Ousainu Darboe in Kanifing Municipality by approximately 40,000 votes, despite what he described as greater unity among opposition supporters at the time.
He argued that the current divisions among opposition parties could give the ruling party an additional advantage in the municipality.
The minister’s remarks underscore the NPP’s growing confidence ahead of the December 5 presidential election. While portraying the West Coast Region as an increasingly secure electoral base for President Barrow, his comments suggest that Kanifing Municipality remains a key battleground in the ruling party’s efforts to consolidate support nationwide.
