The president of Senegal, Macky Sall, has declared that the presidential election set for February 25 will be delayed indefinitely, just hours before the start of official campaigning. This decision has sparked outrage from opposition leaders and led to the resignation of a minister.
On Saturday, Sall announced to the public that he has delayed the election to determine his successor due to a disagreement between the national assembly and constitutional court regarding the disqualification of candidates.
Lawmakers are looking into allegations against two judges from the constitutional council, who have raised concerns about their integrity during the election process.
Sall stated that he will initiate a public national discussion to establish the necessary requirements for a fair, honest, and all-encompassing election. He did not specify a revised date.
According to Senegal’s election regulations, there must be a minimum of 80 days between the announcement of the designated date and the actual voting day. This means that the earliest possible date for the election is late April.
Shortly following Sall’s declaration, Abdou Latif Coulibaly, the government’s secretary general and spokesperson, announced his resignation. He is stepping down in order to have unrestricted liberty to advocate for his political beliefs.
This marks the initial delay of a presidential election in Senegal, contributing to heightened political unrest.
Ecowas, the west African regional organization, has expressed worry about the reasons that caused the delay of the elections. They are urging for discussions and a prompt resolution to determine a new date.
The United States Department of State also called on Senegal to promptly schedule a date for a timely, transparent, and equitable election.
In November 2023, Sall issued a decree stating that the election would be held on February 25th with 20 candidates participating. However, two prominent opposition figures were not allowed to run.
A member of the opposing party, Thierno Alassane Sall, condemned what he referred to as “betrayal of the nation” and urged “patriots and supporters of the republic” to resist it.
Sall announced that he would not be running for a third term and designated Amadou Ba, a member of his party, as his successor. On Saturday, Sall reaffirmed that he will not be a candidate.
Source: theguardian.com
