We will have to wait a little longer to find out if the opponent Ousmane Sonko will be able to be a candidate in the presidential election next February. The Dakar court, which, since Tuesday morning, December 12, had been examining the legitimacy or otherwise of his removal from the electoral lists, suspended the hearing. An appointment has been made the day after tomorrow, Thursday, December 14, to render its decision.
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With our correspondent in Dakar, Léa-Lisa Westerhoff
The legal marathon that has become the political journey of opponent Ousmane Sonko is not over. After a hearing lasting more than nine hours, the judge decided to reserve his decision until Thursday. “ This is a possibility for this type of administrative matter », Commented one of Ousmane Sonko’s defense lawyers, while regretting that the judge did not choose to decide on this Tuesday.
All day, the pleadings revolved around two questions. Firstly, was Ousmane Sonko properly notified of the decision to remove him from the electoral lists and, secondly, does his arrest at the end of July suspend his conviction in absentia to two years in prison for “corruption of youth”. This same conviction which justifies his removal from the electoral lists, according to the Senegalese state.
Very technical questions, but central, because they will determine the possibility for the political opponent to participate or not in this presidential election. To be a candidate, you must in fact be registered on the electoral lists.
But whatever the decision of the high court next Thursday, the chances for Ousmane Sonko of participating in the presidential election are increasingly slim. The opponent has less than 14 days left to prepare his application file and submit it to the Constitutional Court.
Read alsoSenegal: justice once again examines the removal of opponent Ousmane Sonko from the electoral lists