In Senegal, the Supreme Court rejects Ousmane Sonko’s request to recover the forms necessary to collect citizen sponsorships for the presidential election
In this preparatory electoral period for the presidential election, Senegalese opponent Ousmane Sonko faces a major obstacle. The Supreme Court rejected his request to obtain the files necessary to collect citizen sponsorships. A decision which jeopardizes his candidacy less than five months before the election.
Ousmane Sonko’s lawyers argued for three hours before the Supreme Court, arguing that the right to participate in an election is a fundamental right enshrined in Senegal’s constitution. Consequently, refusing Ousmane Sonko access to sponsorship forms would be a violation of this right. Indeed, obtaining citizen sponsorships is a crucial step in being able to run for president.
The judge recognized the importance of this fundamental right, but nevertheless ruled in favor of the Ministry of the Interior, which refused to provide the forms to Ousmane Sonko due to his removal from the electoral lists. This decision aroused the incomprehension of the opponent’s lawyer, lawyer Ciré Clédor Ly, who considers this argument to be a “legal incongruity”.
This decision of the Supreme Court is not subject to appeal, but Ousmane Sonko’s lawyers do not intend to give up. They filed another request before the Ziguinchor district court, contesting the removal of their client from the electoral lists. Furthermore, they also appealed to the ECOWAS Court of Justice to try to obtain a favorable decision.
It is obvious that this situation compromises Ousmane Sonko’s presidential candidacy. However, there are still possible remedies and lawyers will continue to fight. This affair highlights the tensions and issues linked to the presidential race in Senegal, where candidates must face numerous obstacles to exercise their democratic rights. It remains to be seen what the outcome of this political-judicial saga will be.
In the meantime, the Senegalese are closely following developments in this affair and are preparing for presidential elections which already promise to be eventful. The country faces significant economic and social challenges, and the choice of the next president will be crucial for the country’s future. It remains to be seen whether Ousmane Sonko will be able to overcome the obstacles that stand in his way and present himself as a candidate for the highest office in the state. To be continued…