This year's presidential election is characterised by the formation of coalitions, including the ruling party. Membership of a coalition is unstable as political parties, and political leaders keep criss crossing from one party to another.

The ruling party, the National People's Party (NPP) leads an alliance of political parties which includes the Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC), Gambia Democratic Congress (GDC), National Reconciliation Party (NRP), Gambia Moral Congress (GMC), Gambia Party for Democracy and Progress (GPDP) and Citizens' Alliance (CA). Mr Essa Faal who was the leader of APP-Sobeya alliance, signed a pack with the NPP to the disapproval of the APP-Sobeya leadership. News report say GMP is on its way to sign an alliance with NPP.

The opposition Gambia First Coalition is led by the United Democratic Party (UDP) and its flagbearer is Ousainou Darboe. Its members include the Alliance for Democracy and Development (ADD), Gambia Alliance for National Unity (GANU), Gambian People's Advancement Party (GPAP), Golden Era Party (GEP), Citizens' Coalition for Change (CCC), and the People's Progressive Party (PPP).

Coalition 2026 is in the opposition and includes the UNITE Party, People's Right Party (PRP), FORWARD Gambia, National Reform Congress (NRC), PASTEF Gambia, Gambia Movement for Progress, Defending the Gambian Interest, and Save The Gambia.

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Team Gambia Grand Coalition 2026 is also in the opposition coordinated by Halifa Sallah and Sidia Jatta. It includes the People's Democratic Organisation for Independence and Socialism (PDOIS), Democratic Party, Gambia Action Party (GAP), National Democratic Party (NDP), National Unity Party (NUP), Democratic Party (DP), National Alliance for Accelerated Advancement (NAFAA), PROGRESS, Tabax Reewmi Movement, Alliance for Social Democrats (ASD), People's Transformation (PT), Gambia Reformist and Development (GRD), WAREFF, Patriotic Nationalist and independent presidential aspirants, Mariama Khan and Fatou Jaw Manneh.

There are still presidential aspirants who have not joined any of these coalitions. Will they join any of them? Time will tell.

Foroyaa will continue to monitor developments.