By Ousman A. Marong
Ebrima Dibba, the National President of the UNIT Party has issued a stern warning to President Adama Barrow and the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) regarding any attempts to block Talib Ahmed Bensouda from running in the presidential election set for December 5. He pointed to the recent military coups in several West African nations as a serious cautionary tale.
In an audio clip shared by Roots Online Media, Dibba accused President Barrow of allegedly manipulating legal and institutional frameworks to thwart Bensouda’s presidential aspirations.
He asserted that Barrow was aware he would likely lose to Bensouda, prompting him to take steps—such as forming commissions and leveraging legal loopholes—to hinder the mayor of Kanifing Municipal Council from entering the race.
He claimed that various legal provisions were being twisted together to justify blocking Bensouda’s candidacy, emphasizing that such actions would not be tolerated.
“If anyone thinks they can pull this off, you’re being short-sighted and foolish. We’re gearing up for our nomination at the IEC, and we’re fully aware of your schemes,” Dibba stated.
He warned that if Bensouda showed up for nomination and was turned away, they would return demanding that his candidacy be accepted.
“If we come for the nomination and you send us away, we will be back, and it’s either you approve us right then and there, or there will be consequences,” he cautioned.
Dibba also highlighted the dangers of misusing the law for political gain, drawing parallels to military coups in countries like Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Guinea-Bissau, arguing that such actions could lead to dire outcomes.
“Similar situations unfolded in other West African nations, and the results were far from ideal. Just look at what happened in Guinea in 2021 when they twisted the law for their own gain, leading to a military coup,” he remarked.
“In Mali in 2022, the president was also manipulating the law to benefit him, which resulted in a military takeover. The same happened in Burkina Faso that year, where the law was similarly misused, leading to another coup. And let’s not forget about Niger and Bissau,” he added.
Addressing President Barrow and the electoral commission, Dibba emphasized the importance of learning from these events.
“President Barrow and IEC, I am warning you: if you can’t learn from these past mistakes, I fear you might never learn at all,” he said.
Dibba also urged the Gambia Armed Forces to stay neutral during the ongoing political changes.
However, he stirred some controversy by claiming that the military was not properly equipped and that most of the country’s weapons were under the control of ECOMIG forces.
He warned President Barrow not to underestimate the security risks involved in trying to block Bensouda from running in the election.
“If you (President Barrow) underestimate the security situation, you might find yourself in serious trouble,” Dibba warned.
He reiterated that he had previously advised President Barrow against pursuing a third term, asserting that such a goal would ultimately fail.
Turning his attention to Bensouda’s candidacy, Dibba declared that UNIT members were ready to make significant sacrifices if the mayor was prevented from running in the December 5 election.
“If Talib Ahmed Bensouda is blocked from contesting the December 5 election, we, the UNIT members, are prepared to take a stand,” he concluded.