APA-Dakar (Senegal) In a decision issued on February 15, the seven judges of Senegal’s constitutional court overturned the postponement of the presidential election initially scheduled for February 25.
By Ibrahima Dione
In an interview granted to the American news agency Associated Press (AP) and published on February 10, the Senegalese leader declined to say how he would react to the referral to the constitutional court.
“It is too early for me to consider this prospect… When the decision is made, I’ll be able to say what I’ll do,” he declared that day” he said.
On Friday, February 16, the day after the decision of the CC cancelling the postponement of the presidential elections to December 15, Sall spoke out. “The President of the Republic has taken note of this decision, which falls within the framework of the normal judicial mechanisms of democracy and the rule of law as enshrined in the Senegalese constitution,” said a press release from the Presidency.
The statement went on to say that “the President of the Republic intends to fully implement the decision of the constitutional court. To this end, the head of state will immediately carry out the consultations necessary to organise the presidential elections as soon as possible.”
In its decision of February 15, the constitutional court affirmed that “the law derogating from the provisions of Article 31 of the constitution, adopted by the National Assembly in its session of February 5, under number 4/2024, is contrary to the constitution.” By a show of hands, the deputies of the ruling coalition Benno Bokk Yakaar (Wolof for United by the Same Hope) and those of the Wallu Sénégal (Wolof for Save Senegal) voted to create a parliamentary commission of inquiry.
This was to investigate allegations of corruption by judges Cheikh Ndiaye and Cheikh Tidiane Coulibaly on the part of the opposition Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS), whose candidate Karim Wade, son of former president Abdoulaye Wade (2000-2012), was excluded from the presidential race because of his dual Senegalese and French citizenship when he filed his candidacy.
In addition, the constitutional court annulled “Decree No. 2024-106 of February 3, 2024, repealing the decree convening the electorate for the presidential election of February 25, 2024.”
In a speech to the nation on February 3, Macky Sall justified his action by referring to “a dispute between the National Assembly and the constitutional council, in open conflict over an alleged case of judicial corruption.”
ID/ac/lb/as/APA