The opposition reacted the day after the modification of article 131 extending the mandate of President Macky Sall at the head of Senegal until December, the date chosen for the holding of the presidential election.  They denounce an unconstitutional law and announce that they will attack it before the Constitutional Council.

Political actors are reacting to the modification of article 131 postponing the election until next December. For Thierno Alassane Sall, “the President of the Republic has assumed powers that he does not have, trampling on the Constitution of Senegal. Parliament has just violated article 103 of the Constitution, which makes it impossible to extend the mandate limited to five years by article 27. These criminal manoeuvres are an insult to the history of Senegal.”

Cancellation of the Presidential Election of February 25: The Coup of Force

In a press release, the leader of the Republic of Values party affirmed that “this revision must be considered null and void. Macky Sall’s mandate expires on April 2. Beyond that, it would only be through a blatant coup d’état and a more uninhibited dictatorship that Macky Sall could impose himself.” It’s the same story with Aminata Touré. Who hopes that “the law passed yesterday will be declared unconstitutional by the Constitutional Council, responsible for monitoring the conformity of laws, and that the presidential election will be held on February 25.” Because, according to Mimi Touré, the National Assembly extended the mandate of Macky Sall “although the Constitution clearly says that “no one can serve more than two consecutive mandates””.

Read the column: Macky Sall, Dialogue to Close the Gash

Malick Gackou, for his part, “condemned with the utmost energy this forfeiture and constitutional coup d’état”, and called “all the forces vive of the Nation to stand up to demand respect for the electoral calendar and the holding of the election on February 25, 2024. It is in this logic that he says he submitted a request for the purposes of continuing the electoral process registered  under number J/C/24 at the registry of the Constitutional Council on February 5, 2024.

By Malick GAYE / mgaye@lequotidien.sn

  • Translation by Ndey T. SOSSEH