Senegal: The Constitutional Council of Senegal has affirmed Bassirou Diomaye Faye, the opposition candidate, as the winner of the presidential election.
His induction as the nation’s fifth president is scheduled for April 2. The provisional results, which were revealed on Wednesday and were based on vote counts from all polling places, were approved by the highest court.
In the postponed presidential election held last Sunday, Faye, an opponent of the status quo and a supporter of well-known opposition leader Ousmane Sonko, won more than 54 percent of the total votes.
Amadou Ba, the governing coalition candidate and the choice of departing President Macky Sall, was his closest poll rival and received around 35 percent of the vote.
The Council stated that none of the other candidates had voiced any reservations. Faye becomes the youngest president of Africa at the age of 44.
The “unanimous acceptance of the results” was praised by the African Union. The chair of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, wished Faye “full success in his weighty and noble charge” and “warmly congratulates” him on his win.
Additionally, according to his office, French President Emmanuel Macron wished Faye “warm congratulations” and stated that his country wished to “continue and intensify the partnership” with her.
Only ten days had passed after Faye’s release from jail before his triumph. He has declared his desire for a “break” from the established political order.
According to analysts, his victory was a protest against the departing leadership and internal conflicts within the once-powerful but now-weakened ruling coalition.
POPULAR | Senegal; Bassirou Diomaye Faye leads in presidential election
