Following President Macky Sall’s failure to postpone the poll and the release of two significant opponents from prison, which gave the opposition momentum, Senegal will hold its postponed presidential election on Sunday in an abnormally tense political atmosphere.
In Senegal, which is often among the most stable democracies in West Africa but is prone to coups, support for Sall has decreased during his second and final term in office. The incumbent will not be on the ballot for the first time in the history of the nation.
Amadou Ba, 62, a former finance minister and prime minister, has been selected by the ruling coalition as its candidate. As Senegal prepares to become an oil and gas producer by the end of 2024, Ba is expected to follow Senegal’s investor-friendly policies.
However, Ba confronts a strong opposition field of eighteen contenders, the most well-known of whom is 43-year-old Bassirou Diomaye Faye, a former tax inspector who has been thrust to the forefront by the fierce opposition leader Ousmane Sonko.
Popular among young people in metropolitan areas who are fed up with unemployment and poor economic conditions, Sonko finished third in the 2019 presidential contest but was disqualified this time around because of a defamation conviction. Following months of incarceration, Sall’s suggested amnesty resulted in the release of both Sonko and Faye from jail on March 14. Since then, thousands of people have attended their rallies.
Other politicians that might advance to the next round for the top two contenders are experienced politician Idrissa Seck, 64, who finished second in the 2019 election with 21% of the vote, and Khalifa Sall, 68, a former mayor of Dakar’s city.
Sall abruptly postponed the election on February 3, only hours before the start of the campaign trail. The election was originally scheduled for February 25. He gave the postponement explanation as dangers arising from disagreements over the candidate list.
