Senegal’s President Macky Sall announced on Saturday the repeal of the decree calling for the constituency for the presidential election scheduled for February 25, effectively postponing the election. The announcement comes just hours before the official start of the campaign on Saturday at midnight, with 20 candidates approved by the Constitutional Council.
“I have signed Decree 2024-106 of February 3, 2024, repealing Decision 2023-2283 of November 29, 2023, calling the constituency,” President Sall announced in a live broadcast on national television at 2 p.m. local time.
President Sall referred to a bill filed in the National Assembly on Friday that established a parliamentary commission of inquiry into the exclusion of Karim Wade from voting due to his dual citizenship in France and Senegal, as per the Constitutional Council, in his speech announcing the election postponement.
He also mentioned the revelation that another candidate, Rose Wardini, previously approved by the Constitutional Council, was a dual national.
According to President Macky Sall, the opening of a parliamentary probe and allegations of corruption and probity against the Constitutional Council set the stage for a contentious election that could jeopardize the holding of free and fair elections by the deadline.
Therefore, the Senegalese head of state ordered the National Assembly to carry out its duties following the formation of the parliamentary panel of inquiry to ascertain the circumstances surrounding Karim Wade’s invalidated candidacy.
After reiterating that his decision not to run for a third term is still valid, Macky Sall stated that he spoke with the President of the National Assembly and the Chairman of the High Council of Territorial Communities. He also emphasized the importance of open political debate in overcoming the situation.
“I will engage in an open national dialogue, in order to bring together the conditions for a free, transparent and inclusive election in a peaceful and reconciled Senegal,” President Sall said in his statement.
