Gambia: In Search of a Candidate for 2026

What the report says

Foroyaa, in an editorial republished by AllAfrica, says the search for a presidential candidate in The Gambia ahead of 2026 has become tangled in rival coalition efforts rather than producing a single united front. The piece points to the ADD coalition-building effort, the CMC flagbearer selection, and other political groupings as examples of a fragmented opposition landscape.

The editorial says some parties that initially came together are now forming smaller alliances, while others are aligning with the ruling party. It also refers to the Team Gambia 2026 Consultative Initiative as the one effort still awaiting completion, and notes that there are also aspirants running outside any coalition structure.

The article places the current disputes in the context of the 2016 election cycle, when coalition negotiations eventually produced a candidate only late in the process. It argues that the lessons of that experience remain relevant because early cooperation did not prevent later breakdowns in unity.

As a broader background point, coalition politics has often played a central role in Gambian presidential contests, where fragmented opposition blocs can shape the balance of power. The editorial suggests that clarity on candidacies, timelines and alliance structures will be important as the 2026 race develops.