It was part of Coalition 2016 in the 2016 presidential election, whose candidate, Adama Barrow, defeated long-time incumbent Yahya Jammeh.

It emerged from an earlier group, the People's Movement for Independence against Neo-Colonialism and Capitalism in The Gambia (PMINCC), whose members included Halifa Sallah, Sam Sarr, Amie Sillah, Adama Bah and Momodou Sarho.

The PMINCC were also believed to be the publishers of the newspaper The Voice of the Future, and six members were put on trial for its publication in 1984, although all were acquitted.

It began publishing its own newspaper, Foroyaa, in July 1987, where it was critical of the pro-Western foreign policy of Dawda Jawara, and opposed the Senegambia Confederation.

The PDOIS was not banned following the 1994 coup by Yahya Jammeh as it did not publicly denounce it, but both Jatta and Sallah turned down the cabinet posts they were offered.