Photo Credit: BBC
The Government of the Gambia has on Sunday , November 23, 2025, issued a release on the arrival in the Gambia of Mr. Issa Tchiroma Bakary, a Cameroonian opposition leader who contested in a recently concluded election against Paul Barthélemy Biya, 92, the second-longest-ruling president in Africa after Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea.
Following the announcement through a dispatch from the Ministry of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services, the United Democratic Party (UDP) said it lacks transparency, adding that the Gambian people deserve governance rooted in honesty, openness, and respect.
The Government only made the Cameroonian opposition leader’s arrival public after 16 days of arrival in the country.
The Government press release states: “The Government of The Gambia informs the public that Mr. Issa Tchiroma Bakary arrived in the country on the 7th of November 2025. Mr. Bakary is a Cameroonian opposition leader who contested in the recently concluded elections in the Republic of Cameroon. He is being hosted temporarily in The Gambia purely on humanitarian grounds in the spirit of African solidarity and for the purpose of ensuring his safety while discussions continue to pursue a peaceful and diplomatic resolution to the post-election tension in Cameroon.”
It affirms commitment to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all AU Member States, and to the principle that The Gambia will not be used as a base for subversive activity against any state.
“The Government is engaging with relevant regional partners, including the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to support a peaceful and negotiated outcome, and will continue to keep the Gambian public informed,” it concluded.
UDP’s Statement in Verbatim
On the Government’s Lack of Transparency Regarding the Issa Tchiroma Bakary Affair
The United Democratic Party (UDP) noted with deep concern the Government of The Gambia’s press release dated Sunday, 23rd November 2025, regarding the quiet arrival and hosting of Cameroonian opposition figure Mr. Issa Tchiroma Bakary on Gambian soil.
While The Gambia has a proud tradition of offering sanctuary on humanitarian grounds, the manner in which this matter has been handled raises serious questions about transparency, accountability, and respect for the Gambian people’s right to know what actions are taken in their name.
According to the government’s own statement, Mr. Bakary arrived in The Gambia on 7th November 2025, yet the public is only being informed more than two weeks later, and only after widespread speculation. Such silence on an issue of significant diplomatic and security importance is unacceptable.
Fully cognizant of how despotism operates and how dissenters are treated in such systems, the UDP stands in full solidarity with His Excellency Mr. Issa Tchiroma Bakary. We are proud that he can find safe sanctuary in The Gambia for himself and his immediate family. Our position on this humanitarian gesture is unequivocal. However, solidarity must not be used as a justification for secrecy or the erosion of democratic accountability.
We therefore call on the Government of The Gambia to:
• Provide a full and transparent briefing to the National Assembly and the Gambian people on the circumstances surrounding Mr. Bakary’s arrival;
• Clarify the nature and duration of his stay, the security arrangements in place, and any commitments made to external states;
• Commit to proactive disclosure in all matters affecting national security, diplomacy, and public interest.
The Gambian people deserve governance rooted in honesty, openness, and respect, not selective information issued only when convenient.
Issued by, UDP Media & Communications Team
