Opposition parties agree on ‘tri-vergence accord’
APeX Initiative, which is working on corralling Gambian opposition parties into a united front for the December presidential election, last evening issued a statement announcing parties and movements engaged in the on-going APeX-convened coalition-building negotiations, have formally entered a voluntary harmony pact called the “Tri-vergence Accord”.
The accord is described as a good-faith framework to promote harmony among the opposition stakeholders as a prelude to the intended coalition agreement.
“The name tri-vergence reflects this year’s remarkable coincidence on the same day, on 18th February 2026, of The Gambia’s Independence Day commemoration, and the first days of the Holy month of Ramadan for Muslims, and the Penance period of Lent for Christians,” the organisers explained.
The political parties and movements that agreed to the accord were named as All People’s Party Sobeyaa (APP Sobeyaa) led by Essa Faal; Gambia for All (GFA) led by Bakary Dabo; National Unity Party (NUP) led by Dr Lamin J Darbo; Tabax Rewmi Movement led by Ahmadou Kah; United Democratic Party (UDP) led by ANM Ousainu Darboe; and Unite Movement for Change (UMC) whose interim leader is Talib Bensouda.
The statement dilated: “The aAccord is a voluntary, good-faith instrument designed to promote harmony, mutual respect, and constructive engagement among the parties, all of whom are engaged in on-going coalition-building negotiations. While not legally binding, the Tri-vergence Accord is for all intents and purposes a solemn moral and political commitment to fostering harmonious coexistence among opposition political parties, movements, and presidential aspirants in the lead up to the presidential elections which is scheduled for 5 December 2026.
“Although the Tri-vergence Accord does not prohibit healthy debate and disagreement which is vital in any multiparty democracy, its parties commit that their members and supporters will refrain from hostile conduct against any party to the accord. This includes refraining from inflammatory rhetoric, incitement, false statements, or any behaviour likely to provoke violence, public disorder, inter-party confrontation or not conducive to harmonious relations. The accord further provides for dialogue and mediation mechanisms to resolve inter-party grievances, prioritise de-escalation, and promote harmonious coexistence.
“The parties recognise the complexity of opposition politics in a multiparty democracy and the delicate nature of coalition negotiations in a competitive political environment. They affirm that this accord is a necessary provisional measure to safeguard the integrity of their ongoing negotiation process as well as foster mutual trust and collaborative spirit among stakeholders in the wider political opposition.
“The Tri-vergence Accord remains open to additional parties. Accordingly, all other opposition political parties, opposition political movements, and opposition presidential aspirants who are not presently part of the coalition-building project are hereby unconditionally invited to become parties to the Tri-vergence Accord,” the statement concluded.
Source: The Standard
