Elections are a crucial time for every citizen, as they determine who you’re going to entrust with the responsibility of steering the country for the next five years. As Gambians gear up for the 2026 presidential polls, all eyes are on the person who can bring about real change.

For far too long, Gambian voters have been failed and taken for granted, but the time has come to put an end to fake politicians.

I’m glad that Gambians are now discerning the real from the fake, and many are reading between the lines. Politics goes beyond drumming, dancing, and making big but empty promises.

Winning an election isn’t rocket science, nor is it about making grand promises. It’s about bringing practical solutions to the table for the problems facing your people — and if you do that, they’ll entrust you with the office you’re asking for.

As the elections approach, Gambians will be looking for that man or woman who can address their plights, not the one who only makes promises.

On the table are issues like the high cost of living, which remains a major problem affecting the public. How can you address food insecurity, the high cost of commodities, soaring rent prices, unregulated transport fares, insecurity, poor healthcare, an obsolete education system, and more?

Gambians will not waste their time on anyone who merely makes promises about these issues; instead, they will expect real solutions.

Beyond these challenges, one major problem continues to plague our nation, corruption. It is a menace that must be fought tooth and nail, with the state leading the crusade. Any serious candidate for the 2026 polls will be expected to offer tangible solutions to this endemic problem in our country.

Adama Makasuba