ECOWAS expresses concern over Senegal's postponement of Presidential elections

Senegalese President Macky Sall, in a televised speech to the nation on Saturday, announced an indefinite postponement of the presidential elections. The decision was attributed to a dispute over the candidate list and electoral roll.

The Constitutional Council's exclusion of certain opposition candidates' names from the candidate list in January led to the President's decision.

The move by the Constitutional Council raised concerns about the credibility of the electoral process, prompting the President, who aspires for free and fair elections, to cancel the initially scheduled date.

“I will initiate an open national dialogue to bring together the conditions for a free, transparent, and inclusive election in a peaceful and reconciled Senegal,” President Sall said.

In a statement released by the Economic Community of West African States Commission on February 3, 2024, in Abuja, Nigeria, the organization expressed dismay over the factors leading to the election postponement.

The ECOWAS Commission called on Senegal's authorities to swiftly determine a new election date, encouraging the entire political class to emphasize dialogue and cooperation to ensure transparent, inclusive, and credible elections.

The ECOWAS Commission commended President Macky Sall for maintaining his previous choice of not seeking re-election.

“The Commission of the Economic Community of West African States takes note of the decision that the Senegalese authorities have taken to postpone the presidential elections scheduled to take place on 25 February 2024. The ECOWAS Commission expresses concern over the circumstances that have led to the postponement of the elections and appeals to the competent authorities to expedite the various processes to set a new date for the elections.”