Darboe Expresses Shock at Bensouda’s Political Shift, Alleges Premeditated Move

Ousainu Darboe, the veteran leader and flag-bearer of the United Democratic Party (UDP), has publicly voiced his astonishment at the recent political maneuvers of Kanifing Mayor Talib Ahmed Bensouda, stating the mayor’s actions caught him completely off guard.

In a candid interview with Eye Africa TV, Darboe revealed a foundation of broken trust, explaining that he had personally taken Bensouda at his word when the mayor repeatedly denied any presidential ambitions for the 2026 election.

A Promise Believed, A Trust Broken

“I defended Talib because I believed him,” Darboe stated, his disappointment palpable. “On several occasions, he told me he was not seeking the presidency. His stated goal was simply to create some distance between himself and potential future rivals.”

According to the UDP leader, these assurances were given during meetings he himself convened to quell rising internal rumors. There were growing concerns that certain individuals were prioritizing Bensouda’s personal agenda over the collective interests of the United Democratic Party. Darboe noted that other prominent figures, including Banjul Mayor Rohey Malick Lowe and party chairmen Yankuba Darbo and Landing B. Sanneh, were present at one such gathering.

“I called those meetings precisely because of the claims that some people were promoting Talib instead of the UDP,” Darboe explained. “I believed him because I held him in high regard. It now appears he was promoting himself, not the party.”

Public Intentions and Private Resignations

Darboe firmly dismissed any suggestion that Mayor Bensouda was unaware of his application for the party’s flag-bearer position. He challenged the narrative, asking, “If Talib didn’t know, why didn’t he ask me?”

The UDP leader pointed to a specific public forum where he confirmed his intentions. “Anyone saying they didn’t know I applied is not being truthful with the people,” he asserted, recalling his interview on ‘Coffee Time with Peter Gomez’ where he openly declared his bid for the nomination.

The resignation of Bensouda as the UDP’s National Organizing Secretary was another point of contention. Darboe expressed his disappointment, emphasizing that he had never expressed a lack of confidence in the mayor’s ability to manage the party’s campaign machinery effectively.

A Coordinated Departure?

Questioning the motives of others who resigned alongside the mayor, Darboe posed a rhetorical question to the public: “Is it that when there’s an issue with Talib, the whole party suddenly has a problem?”

He cast doubt on the credibility of some resignees, noting, “Some of them haven’t been in the UDP that long to now suddenly declare that the party has changed.”

Darboe went a step further, alleging that the departure and the subsequent formation of a new political movement were not spontaneous acts but the result of careful planning. “You cannot leave an established party and form a movement within a month unless it was planned well in advance,” he stated, referencing a prior statement from Kemo Bojang that predicted a rift following the flag-bearer selection process.

Clarifying the Record on Leadership

In a final point of clarification, the UDP flag-bearer stressed that he never promised Bensouda the party’s top position. He underscored the democratic processes within the UDP, explaining that such a weighty decision is not his alone to make.

“The flag-bearer is chosen by the selection committee, and party leadership positions are decided at congress,” Darboe concluded, reinforcing that the party’s trajectory is determined by its institutions, not individual promises.

Source: Kerr Fatou Online Media House. Original reporting by Makutu Manneh.