08/08/2026
Essa Faal Withdraws From CMC Coalition Talks
Official Statement Ahead of the 2026 Presidential Election
Following an extensive meeting of our Executive today, the All People's Party (APP-Sobeyaa) has taken the difficult but necessary decision to withdraw from the ongoing CMC Coalition talks ahead of the 2026 Presidential Election.
This is not a decision we have taken lightly. APP-Sobeyaa has participated in these discussions in good faith and has remained a consistent advocate for a united coalition capable of offering Gambians, particularly our young people, a credible and transformative third-force alternative. We have stayed in the process because we believe that The Gambia needs us to find common ground, not because we are prepared to compromise the principles upon which that unity must be built.
We have, however, concluded that the current flagbearer selection process can no longer provide the fairess, transparency and credibility required of a process of this importance. A leadership contest must be genuine. It cannot be a process where one outcome is effectively regarded as the only acceptable one.
We have taken note of the position communicated from the UNITE camp that, having invested heavily in the campaign of Mayor Talib Bensouda over the past three years, they may not be prepared to accept any outcome other than his leadership. We respect their right to support their candidate, but a coalition cannot be built on the assumption that one candidate must win. That undermines the very spirit of shared governance and collective political endeavour.
There are, moreover, serious concerns about the integrity of the process, including allegations and suggestions of improper conduct and inducements. We cannot ignore the fact that such concerns have emerged around a process that should command the highest level of public confidence. For APP-Sobeyaa, credibility, trust and integrity are not negotiable.
Our concerns extend to the proposed governance framework, where fundamental differences remain unresolved, as well as the failure to formally agree on the proposal for the introduction of a running mate. We have also been concerned by difficulties faced by participants seeking to rejoin the process after temporarily stepping away to address internal party matters.
We cannot, in good conscience, lend our legitimacy to a process that we believe is fundamentally compromised. We are not interested in simply replacing Peter with Paul. The Gambian people, especially the generation demanding change, deserve a coalition that learns from the failures of previous political arrangements and offers a genuine programme of transformation and reform.
The growing demand for a third force must not become an excuse for lowering our standards. If we are serious about building a different Gambia, then the coalition seeking to lead that change must itself demonstrate the values of fairness, mutual respect, integrity and accountability. Political competition does not require vile rhetoric, personal attacks or the denigration of fellow opposition actors.
Our withdrawal should therefore not be interpreted as quitting. APP-Sobeyaa is choosing principle over expediency. We remain open to working with UNITE, the other parties and any political movement genuinely committed to building a credible national coalition. But such cooperation must be founded on mutual respect, trust, fairness and a shared commitment to putting The Gambia before individual ambition.
We entered these talks believing that together we could build something bigger than any individual or political party. We step away from the present process because we no longer believe it can deliver that
"The Gambia deserves a coalition built around the country, not around an individual."
Issued by the Executive of the All People's Party (APP-Sobeyaa)
