The president of Senegal, Macky Sall, has declared that the presidential election set for 25 February will be indefinitely postponed, just hours before the start of official campaigning. This has sparked outrage from opposition leaders and led to the resignation of a minister.
Sall announced in a speech to the country on Saturday that he had delayed the election to determine his successor due to a disagreement between the national assembly and constitutional court regarding the disqualification of candidates.
Legislators are looking into the conduct of two judges on the constitutional council who have been accused of lacking integrity in the election procedure.
Sall stated that he will initiate a public discussion at a national level in order to create an environment for a fair, honest, and all-encompassing election. He did not provide a new date for this dialogue.
As per the election regulations in Senegal, there must be a minimum of 80 days between the announcement of the election date and the actual voting day. Therefore, the earliest possible date for the election is late April.
Shortly after Sall’s declaration, Abdou Latif Coulibaly, the government’s secretary general and spokesperson, announced that he would be resigning. His reason for leaving was to have the freedom to fully and openly defend his political beliefs.
This marks the initial delay of a Senegalese presidential election, contributing to increasing political unrest.
Ecowas, the west African organization, has shown worry about the situation causing the delay of the elections. They are urging for discussions and a speedy process to determine a new date.
The United States government department also encouraged Senegal to promptly schedule a timely, unbiased, and equitable election.
In November 2023, Sall issued a decree setting the election for February 25th, with 20 candidates participating. However, two key opposition figures were not allowed to run.
Thierno Alassane Sall, a leader of the opposition, condemned what he referred to as “betrayal of the Republic” and urged “patriots and supporters of the Republic” to resist it.
Sall, the current leader, has chosen Amadou Ba from his political party as his potential replacement after declaring that he will not seek a third term. Sall restated on Saturday that he will not be running for office.
Source: theguardian.com
