The UDP's Cycle of Self-Sabotage

By: Baba Colley

The United Democratic Party (UDP) seems destined to be left behind once again, and the primary cause is an internal culture that prioritizes pride over pragmatic power-building.

This unearned ego prevents the party from negotiating and compromising on issues vital to the nation's interest. A telling example is their history with President Adama Barrow. Barrow was a longstanding UDP member before his presidency. For a party to push out one of its own after he attained the highest office is a profound political miscalculation rarely seen elsewhere. Parties typically consolidate power around a winning candidate; the UDP's decision to fracture from Barrow suggests a party less focused on securing institutional power to push an agenda, and more on something else entirely.

Tragically for its supporters, the UDP is repeating this exact mistake.

Recently, the young and charismatic Mayor of KMC Mr Talib Bensouda was forced out of the party. His offense? Offering himself as a viable alternative to the party's current leader, Ousainou Darboe, who will be 80 years old in 2028 and is seen by many as a radioactive candidate. Whether is perception is true or not, is bare the point at this stage. Wasting time and resources on trying to convince people otherwise is not a good idea.

This move ignores political reality. While Darboe retains a strong base of support, it is not enough to win a national presidential election. By alienating Talib Bensouda and his supporters, the UDP is not just losing a popular mayor; it is actively dismantling its own path to victory.

The party is surrounded by a layer of delusion, insulating its leadership from reasonable assessment. Unless this changes, the conclusion is inevitable: the UDP will be left behind again.

Note: this article was written by a human and edited with ai tools for grammar and clarity.