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Report has it that the presidential election that was scheduled for February 25 in Senegal has been postponed till further notice.
The Senegalese President, Macky Sall made the announcement while declaring the indefinite postponement of the presidential election scheduled for February 25, just hours before the official commencement of campaigning.
In his address to the nation on Saturday, President Sall revealed that he had signed a decree revoking the initial election date.
Ongoing investigations into the integrity of two judges from the Constitutional Council, prompted the decision, their roles in the election process had raised concerns.
The Senegalese President promises to begin an open national dialogue to bring together the conditions for a free, transparent, and inclusive election.
However, Ousmane Sonko, a vocal anti-system figurehead has been incarcerated since July 2023, while Karim Wade, son of former president Abdoulaye Wade, was disqualified from the race allegedly due to holding French citizenship.
The decision follows a dispute between the National Assembly and the Constitutional Court, primarily revolving around the rejection of certain candidates.
A decree issued by President Sall in November 2023 had initially set the election for February 25, featuring 20 candidates.
Despite repeatedly stating his intention to hand over power in early April to the victor of the election, President Sall faced challenges, with the Constitutional Council excluding numerous candidates, including Ousmane Sonko and Karim Wade.
In response to these exclusions, supporters of Karim Wade in the National Assembly initiated a call for a parliamentary inquiry into the impartiality of two judges on the Constitutional Court. The Assembly approved the motion on January 31, with members of President Sall's party also supporting it.
The postponement raises questions about the future trajectory of Senegal's electoral process and the potential impact on the nation's political landscape.
