Senegalese president postpones presidential election

By James Tasamba

KIGALI, Rwanda (AA) - Senegal’s President Macky Sall Saturday announced the indefinite postponement of the presidential election scheduled for Feb. 25.

In a televised address to the nation, Sall said he repealed the relevant electoral law, citing “a dispute over the candidate list,” and “an open conflict” over alleged corruption of constitutional judges which he said could lead to pre- and post-election disputes.

Sall promised to “initiate an open national dialogue bringing together all political forces to guarantee the conditions for a free, transparent and inclusive election in a peaceful and reconciled Senegal.”

The announcement came on the backdrop of an investigation by lawmakers against two Constitutional Council judges over alleged corruption.

Last month, the Senegalese Constitutional Council had approved 20 candidates for the presidential election which excluded two opposition candidates, Ousmane Sonko and Karim Wade, son of former President Abdoulaye Wade.

The council said Sonko was ineligible to contest elections for 5 years as a Dakar appeals court last year convicted him for defaming Tourism Minister Mame Mbaye Niang and handed him a six-month suspended sentence.

Sonko, popular among youth voters, finished third in the 2019 election against Sall, who last year ruled out running for a third term after months of speculation.

Wade, on the other hand, was disqualified for holding double nationality.

On Friday, the Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS), an opposition party, requested the postponement of the presidential election through a bill submitted to parliament, claiming certain conditions have compromised the transparency and integrity of the poll.