Deputy Spokesperson of the ruling National People’s Party (NPP), Seedy S.K. Njie, has dismissed suggestions that the emergence of the UNITE Party poses a threat to the ruling party, arguing instead that it is weakening the opposition United Democratic Party (UDP).

Speaking on QTV, Njie said the NPP has no concerns about UNITE or its newly signed alliance with the National Unity Party (NUP), insisting that the opposition’s growing fragmentation only strengthens the NPP’s electoral prospects ahead of the 2026 presidential election.

“I don’t think we have the biggest worry. We are satisfied with the level of support and appreciation from the Gambian people,” he said.

Asked whether the NPP was concerned by UNITE’s rise, Njie replied: “At our level, it’s not an event. We are never concerned.”

He rejected comparisons between UNITE and the Gambia Democratic Congress (GDC), whose emergence in 2016 was widely seen as having split the then ruling APRC vote.

According to Njie, the situation is fundamentally different because UNITE’s support base comes largely from the UDP rather than the NPP.

“When you go to every settlement, from the regional level to the village level, it is the supporters of the United Democratic Party that split. UNITE is consuming the supporters of the United Democratic Party,” he said.

Njie, who is also the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, argued that the opposition has suffered a major setback, claiming the UDP has fractured into several political camps.

“There is a big split within the UDP. You have UNITE as UDP, you have NUP as UDP, and you have UDP,” he said.

He maintained that the divisions within the opposition would benefit the ruling party.

“It has caused a serious fracture in the United Democratic Party… Does this benefit the NPP? One hundred percent,” he stated.

Njie also insisted that even if UNITE, NUP and UDP eventually unite, the NPP would remain confident of victory.

“Remember, UNITE, NUP and UDP were one bloc in 2021, and we defeated them. Now they are fragmented into three or four parties. They are more worried today than ever before,” he said.

The NPP official further claimed the ruling party has expanded its support base over the past five years through development projects, peace and stability, while continuing to attract other political parties into its coalition.

He also argued that coalition partners such as the APRC and the National Reconciliation Party (NRP) remain more politically significant than the newer opposition parties, insisting they remain fully committed to the NPP-led alliance.

By Adama Makasuba