Senegalese President Macky Sall has announced an indefinite postponement of the presidential election slated for February 25, just hours before the official start of campaigning.
President Sall, in a national address on Saturday, disclosed, “I have signed a decree nullifying the previous decision that set the election date, as we continue investigations into the integrity of two Constitutional Council judges involved in the electoral process.”
He further stated, “I will initiate an open national dialogue aimed at establishing the conditions necessary for a free, transparent, and inclusive election,” refraining from specifying a new election date.
This marks the first instance of a Senegalese presidential election being postponed.
A decree issued by President Sall in November 2023 had originally scheduled the election for February 25, with 20 candidates vying for office, albeit without the participation of two prominent opposition figures.
President Sall had consistently affirmed his commitment to transferring power to the election winner in early April. Following his decision not to seek a third term, President Sall had designated Prime Minister Amadou Ba from his party as his potential successor.
The Constitutional Council has disqualified numerous candidates from participating in the election, including outspoken anti-establishment leader Ousmane Sonko and Karim Wade, the son of former President Abdoulaye Wade.
In his address, President Sall’s words underscored the gravity of the situation, highlighting the need for national unity and democratic integrity in the electoral process.
