During an interview with the Senegalese press, President Macky Sall did not set an official date for the presidential election, which he had decreed to be postponed. At the same time, he assured that his term as head of the country would end as planned on April 2, indicating that it was unlikely that the name of his successor would be known before that date.
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It was a highly anticipated speech. While the Senegal was suspended on the head of state’s words on the presidential election, the latter left the date of the presidential election, initially scheduled for February 25, in abeyance. However, he affirmed that it will be given at the end of a two-day dialogue with all political actors and of the country’s civil society, which will take place next Monday and Tuesday, February 26 and 27. Macky Sall called on his compatriots to be patient. “The date cannot be set until we have each other’s arguments,” he explained. Ultimately, it will be up to the Constitutional Council to decide.
“ I do not want to be the subject of a sterile controversy regarding ambitions that are not mine “, he however warned. “ On April 2, my mission ends at the head of Senegal », added the president. However, ” the election can be held before or after April 2 “, he added. Asked about the possibility of it being held between now and April 2, he replied: “ I do not think so. »
Already, during a Council of Ministers on Wednesday evening, the Senegalese president had requested that all arrangements be made “ for a good organization of the presidential election “. “ On a date to be fixed very soon “, he said, after consultations with political actors and civil society leaders.
It is difficult to know if the discussions started last week are over, because nothing has officially filtered out of the discussions he would have held, reports our correspondent in Dakar, Léa-Lisa Westerhoff. The only certainty: impatience begins to set in. Sixteen of the 19 candidates denounced Wednesday a “ inexplicable slowness » in the organization of this presidential election.
The presidency accused of “ dragging your feet »
As for consultations, the majority of candidates in the race, as well as the main actors of civil society, have already explained that the discussions should only serve to agree on a date, to obtain a vote before the April 2 and the official end of the mandate of President Macky Sall. For example the camp of opponent Bassirou Diomaye Fayereplacing Ousmane Sonko in the presidential election, accused the president on Wednesday evening of “ dragging your feet “. He will only agree to discuss to fix “ without delay » the date of the presidential election, he warned in a press release.
This postponement of the presidential election, denounced as a “ constitutional coup » by the opposition, caused a commotion in public opinion and demonstrations which left four dead. The constitutionnal Council last week also vetoed to this postponement and asked the authorities to organize it ” as soon as possible “.
Despite speculation about the temptation to force a move, President Sall said the next day his intention to respect the Council’s decision and to carry out ” without delaying the necessary consultations » to the organization of the vote.
(And with AFP)
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