UDP leader Ousainou Darboe has never minced words, and last weekend in Kotu, he delivered one of his most striking remarks yet.
With a mix of humour and frustration, the veteran politician warned that if President Adama Barrow secures another five years in the December 5 election, he might just join the very “backway” he has spent years urging young Gambians to avoid.
“Life is so hard for the average Gambian,” Darboe told a crowd of supporters. “God forbid another five years of Adama Barrow. If that happens, Mr Darboe could also go on the ‘back way.’ I can also go.”
The comment, half-joke, half-serious, underscores the deep discontent many Gambians feel as the nation prepares to head to the polls. For Darboe, it’s not just political rhetoric; it’s a reflection of what he calls a broken status quo.
This December 5 marks Darboe’s sixth bid for the presidency, a record that speaks to both his persistence and the fierce loyalty he commands within the UDP. But this time, he says, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
“We ask that you give us five years only,” he pleaded. “We have five programs we will focus on.”
Those five pillars, according to Darboe,
· A new constitution, delivering the reforms Gambians have demanded
· A resilient economy, building a foundation that can “stand the test of time”
· Security sector reform, reshaping forces to serve citizens, not intimidate them
· Public service transformation, creating a truly republican administration
· The right team, “We have the people who can do this in five years”
Darboe’s back-way comment may have been delivered with a smile, but it underscores a sobering reality: for many Gambians, life remains a daily struggle, and migration, however dangerous, still feels like the only exit.
Whether voters believe Darboe can deliver what he’s promising, or whether they’ll hand Barrow another five years, will be answered on December 5.
One thing is certain: Darboe has made his position unmistakably clear. “We have the people who can do this in five years,” he insisted.
Whether voters believe him or whether they’ll hand Barrow another term remains to be seen. But if Darboe’s words are anything to go by, the 2026 election isn’t just a battle for power. It’s a referendum on the soul of the nation. And for Darboe, it might just be a one-way ticket, whichever way it goes.
