The United Democratic Party (UDP) has suffered another high-profile resignation following the departure of Makam Sowe, its diaspora media and public relations chairman.

In a letter addressed to the party on Friday, 12 September, Mr Sowe announced his immediate resignation, stating that his values were “no longer compatible with the party.”

Mr Sowe used the letter to voice sharp criticism of longtime UDP leader Ousainou Darboe, warning that the party’s electoral prospects under his stewardship were bleak.

“I have warned you and your colleagues on many occasions that Mr Darboe has a ceiling that he cannot cross,” he wrote.

“With all the enthusiastic unity we saw in 2021, the millions raised and the mega rallies, Mr Darboe couldn’t get 28% of the vote.”

He argued that prospects for 2026 were even dimmer, adding: “Whoever didn’t vote for him in 2021 is not likely to vote for him in 2026.”

Mr Sowe also condemned the party’s handling of Mayor Talib Ahmed Bensouda’s bid for the presidential flagbearer position.

He described the mayor’s treatment as that of a “second-class citizen,” warning that such an approach reflected a wider problem within the UDP.

“This unsettles me greatly,” he wrote. “The same fate awaits many of us if we dare to look up to take on the highest position in the party.”

Mr Darboe has led the UDP since its founding in 1996, contesting multiple elections. But the latest resignation underscores mounting divisions within the party as it prepares for the 2026 presidential race.