ADDIS ABABA, Feb 6 (NNN-ENA) – African Union (AU) Commission Chairperson, Moussa Faki, has called for dialogue to resolve a political dispute in Senegal.
In a press statement released Sunday, Faki expressed strong encouragement for all political and social forces in Senegal, to address any political disputes through civilised consultation, understanding and dialogue, while strictly adhering to the principles that govern the rule of law.
Faki also urged Senegalese authorities to organise transparent elections, that promote peace and national harmony as soon as possible.
On Saturday, Senegalese President, Macky Sall, announced the postponement of the presidential election, originally scheduled for Feb 25, citing a dispute over the candidate list. The National Assembly of Senegal adopted a bill on the same day, requesting a six-month postponement of the election.
The announcement was made in a message broadcast to the nation, just a few hours before the start of the electoral campaign at midnight Sunday.
This move followed the exclusion of several prominent opposition members from the list of candidates by the Constitutional Council last month. The decision raised concerns about the integrity of the election process and fuelled growing discontent. Excluded candidates argued that the rules for candidacy were not applied fairly, a claim denied by the authorities.
Twenty candidates were cleared by the Constitutional Council to compete in the polls. President Macky Sall has decided not to run for a third term.– NNN-ENA
