Dr. Amadou Sanneh, a senior member of the opposition United Democratic Party (UDP), has criticised remarks by Dr. Ismaila Ceesay, minister of information, over President Adama Barrow’s potential third-term bid in 2026.

Dr. Ceesay recently defended Barrow’s right to seek re-election during an interview with Eye Africa TV, asserting that the president was within his constitutional rights to run again.

His comments came amid mounting calls from civil society and opposition figures urging Barrow to respect the spirit of term limits—a growing regional advocacy championed by ECOWAS.

Dr. Sanneh, who is also a former Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs under Barrow, did not hold back in his critique of Dr. Ceesay’s stance, describing it as “misleading and unprincipled”.

“Someone who calls himself a professor and should be looking at issues critically, but [instead] jumping into deception, that’s intellectual fraud, that’s how I can call it,” he said.

“You know the truth but decide to dive into the bush to advocate for a third term. An issue that ECOWAS is pushing to prevent, you’re here defending.”

President Barrow’s eligibility for a third term has sparked heated debates within The Gambia’s political landscape.

While some argue that the president is constitutionally entitled to run, others believe it contradicts democratic principles and ECOWAS’ growing emphasis on term limits across the region.

Rights activists, opposition leaders, and even former allies of Barrow have increasingly voiced concerns about the implications of such a bid for the country’s democracy. 

The UDP, as a major opposition force, has been vocal in opposing any moves to extend Barrow’s stay in power. 

Reporting by Adama Makasuba