The leader of the United Democratic Party (UDP), Ousainou Darboe, has said his party remains open to coalition discussions, insisting that any alliance must be guided by dialogue and internal party processes.
Mr Darboe said: “Our position as UDP is party-led. But we didn’t say we would not form coalition with any party. Everything lies on dialogue.”
He added that discussions are ongoing but acknowledged the difficulty of reaching agreement among political actors.
“We are in coalition talks. But building coalition is not easy. I hope it will go through,” he said.
Mr Darboe also reflected on long-standing concerns about governance and the economy in The Gambia, saying he has warned since 1996 about the consequences of poor governance.
“I have been warning Gambians since 1996 that if they allow bad government, cost of living will be expensive. The Gambia’s problem is getting worse,” he said.
On public borrowing, Mr Darboe said he is not opposed to government loans but warned against overdependence.
“I am not against government taking loans but it has to have limit. We must not rely our survival on grants and loans,” he said.
He also questioned alternative views on economic management, suggesting a lack of understanding of the country’s challenges.
