DARBOE TELLS SUPPORTERS ‘EMPTY TALK’ WILL NOT REMOVE BARROW

Ousainu Darboe, leader of the main opposition United Democratic Party (UDP), has told his supporters that mere rhetoric will not remove President Adama Barrow from power in the 2026 presidential election, rather, affirmative action is needed by voting massively against him.
Addressing supporters recently in Farato, Darboe also added that such a massive action against Barrow at the polls can only come on the back of unity and hard work.
Darboe called on supporters to encourage new members to join the UDP, emphasising that the party needs to work harder to achieve victory.
“We have to work hard with sincerity and love for the country, and move with one intention and objective. That is the only way we can rescue this country. If our intentions are not the same, we cannot do the work the way it should be done and when that happens, we will not be able to achieve our objectives and desires as a party,” he warned.
Darboe appealed to UDP supporters to stay united with one intention and objective.
“We must not be our own enemies. Let us come together like people from the same parents because The Gambian people have great hopes in the UDP and we cannot not betray them because if we do that, our heroes and martyrs will never forgive us.
I tasked all of you to make sure that those who are here and other places and are not part of the UDP, are convinced to join the party to rescue the country from its current predicament,” Darboe appealed to supporters.

Voter registration
The UDP leader urged all supporters across the country to ensure that all their children who attain the age of eighteen are registered during the upcoming supplementary registration of voters.
Darboe said it is very easy to remove a politician holding an elective position because the votes that put them in is the same that puts them out. “All you require is a massive turnout to vote them out”, Darboe said.
He said some of them who trusted Adama Barrow in 2016 with the hope that he will rescue this country, were disappointed.
“In 2021, we warned you that he is not someone to be trusted and that you should not vote for him but the NPP came and gave you empty promises and you fell for it and today we are all suffering because of that mistake. We should not allow that to happen in 2026,” Darboe said.

Healthcare
The UDP leader who appeared emotional also took time to discuss the ‘terrible’ conditions of Gambian hospitals and uged President Barrow to pay a surprise visit to the Edward Francis Teaching Hospital to see at firsthand how Gambians are suffering trying to receive medical care.
The UDP leader also appealed to the government to provide more funding to the healthcare sector so that Gambians can access quality healthcare.
“But if you want all these things to be addressed, vote for the UDP in 2026,” he added.

Source: The Standard