Opposition Candidate, Faye, Contesting Against Government Candidate, Ba, in Tomorrow’s Elections in Senegal

Abubakar Hashim

The much-expected Senegalese election slated for tomorrow 24 March 2024, is mainly between President Sall’s anointed candidate, former Prime Minister Amadou Ba and the just-released opposition candidate, Bassirou Diomaye Faye. It is a contest of 17 Presidential candidates.

Tomorrow’s election is a quick-fixed exercise, preceded by weeks of violent protests, due to incumbent President Sall’s postponement of the earlier scheduled date of 25 February to December 2024.

Sall’s postponement failed woefully amid a united protest, in a country once the beacon and bastion of democracy in West Africa, with an amiable history of no coups.

The protests lasted for days and eventually snowballed into a constitutional crisis. The constitutional court prevailed on President Sall to concede to step down on April 2, 2024, the date his second term limit officially expires. The court also compelled him to set a new election date for tomorrow.

The main opposition figure, Ousmane Sonko, 49, who emerged 3rd in the last elections in 2019, is barred by President Sall from running due to strings of charges against him.

Sonko now supports Faye, 44, a former tax inspector, who was released few days ago from detention along with Sonko. Faye was the Secretary General of Sonko’s party, Pastef, considered by the government as “ bunch of bandits”.

Faye,  will appear on tomorrow’s ballot on Sonko’s weight. They campaigned on institutional reforms, like replacing the CFA currency tied to the Euro with the backing of the French treasury, renegotiating the mining and energy contracts. They are supported by the youths who rejoiced on their release from detention few days ago.

Ba, on the other hand, campaigned on the continuity of President Sall’s policies.

Tomorrow’s election will be a titanic battle in a country where 95% of the population is Muslim, in an election to be conducted in the holy month of Ramadan.

Abubakar Hashim is the NEWS West Africa Bureau Chief