After two new setbacks this week – his confirmed six-month prison sentence for defamation and the refusal of the Constitutional Council to examine his candidacy – the allies of the imprisoned opponent are considering all possible recourses. For them, their candidate is not yet out of the game.
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With our correspondent in Dakar, Juliette Dubois
Ousmane Sonko’s lawyers are already announcing a claim against the refusal of the Constitutional Council to examine his application file in the presidential election next February, on the grounds that it would be incomplete. The Council did not indicate which parts were non-compliant. This could be their sponsorship form or their certificate of deposit of deposit with the Caisse de dépôt et consignations.
Concerning the decision of the Supreme Court on Thursday which confirms his six-month suspended prison sentence for defamation and which should result in his ineligibility, the opponent’s lawyers have planned to file a judgment flap with the Court, c i.e. a request to annul the decision for formal reasons. In both cases, Ousmane Sonko’s lawyers are waiting to be officially notified of the decisions to initiate their claims next week.
Despite these two major setbacks, the former Pastef, the opponent’s party, remains mobilized behind its leader. If he were to be definitively excluded from the presidential race, plan B would always be Birame Souleye Diop, also behind bars.
In recent days, the media have been talking about a plan C, in the person of former minister Habib Sy who was sponsored by deputies from the ex-Pastef. This is not the case, replies El Malick Ndiaye, spokesperson for the dissolved party. The idea is simply to increase the number of applications from members of the Yewwi Askan Wi opposition coalition to have a candidate to face the presidential movement on February 25. Ousmane Sonko remains their candidate “ to the terminus “.