• Latest
  • Trending
  • All
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Security
  • Education
  • Sports
  • Health
  • Entertainment
  • Legal
  • Technology and Science
  • Opinion
  • Columns
  • Exposé
  • World
  • Lifestyle
Senegal Fears Of Power Grab, Political Instability Trail President Macky Sall's Postponement Of Elections

Senegal: Fears Of Power Grab, Political Instability Trail President Macky Sall’s Postponement Of Elections

1 year ago
2024 CHAN: Teams Trickle In As CAF Doles Out $3.5million For Winners

2024 CHAN: Teams Trickle In As CAF Doles Out $3.5million For Winners

6 hours ago
China Offers $500 Per Child To Boost Birth Rate Amid Declining Population

China Offers $500 Per Child To Boost Birth Rate Amid Declining Population

8 hours ago
JUST IN: Tinubu Showers National Honours On Nigeria’s Super Falcons, Gifts $100,000, Houses Each To Players

JUST IN: Tinubu Showers National Honours On Nigeria’s Super Falcons, Gifts $100,000, Houses Each To Players

11 hours ago
Africa Takes Spotlight As UNESCO Adds 26 Sites To Heritage List

Africa Takes Spotlight As UNESCO Adds 26 Sites To Heritage List

12 hours ago
Donald Trump Faults Netanyahu’s Claim Of No Starvation In War-Torn Gaza

Donald Trump Faults Netanyahu’s Claim Of No Starvation In War-Torn Gaza

12 hours ago
Tuesday, July 29, 2025
  • About
  • Privacy Policy
Heritage Times
No Result
View All Result
Translate |
  • Login
  • Politics
    HT Exclusive: With 80 Presidential Aspirants, Is The End Of Paul Biya’s 4-Decade Grip On Power Imminent?

    HT Exclusive: With 80 Presidential Aspirants, Is The End Of Paul Biya’s 4-Decade Grip On Power Imminent?

    CAR: President Touadera Announces Third Term Bid After Removing Tenure Limit

    CAR: President Touadera Announces Third Term Bid After Removing Tenure Limit

    Cameroon: Electoral Body Disqualifies President Biya’s Main Challenger

    Cameroon: Electoral Body Disqualifies President Biya’s Main Challenger

    Insecurity In West Africa No Longer France’s Concern — Minister

    Insecurity In West Africa No Longer France’s Concern — Minister

    Rwanda: Kagame Appoints Top Central Bank Official As New PM

    Rwanda: Kagame Appoints Top Central Bank Official As New PM

    Strained Relations: Ramaphosa, Trump To Meet This Week

    US: Lawmakers Vote To Favour Bill Seeking Sanctions Against SA Over Its Foreign Policy

    As Regional Tension Worsens, Eritrea Cautions Ethiopia Against Conflict

    As Regional Tension Worsens, Eritrea Cautions Ethiopia Against Conflict

    Algeria Is Neutral In Libya Conflict, Says President Tebboune

    Algeria Is Neutral In Libya Conflict, Says President Tebboune

    Burkina Faso: Military Govt Scraps Electoral Body, Says It’s Waste Of Funds

    Burkina Faso: Military Govt Scraps Electoral Body, Says It’s Waste Of Funds

  • Economy
    Russia Forges Closer Ties With Direct Flights To North Korea

    Russia Forges Closer Ties With Direct Flights To North Korea

    Nigerian Govt, BoI Earmark N50m Innovation Grant For STEMM Students

    Nigerian Govt, BoI Earmark N50m Innovation Grant For STEMM Students

    IMF To Visit Senegal In August, With Focus On Hidden Debts, New Disbursements

    IMF To Visit Senegal In August, With Focus On Hidden Debts, New Disbursements

    Kenya: President Ruto’s Convoy Kills British National

    Kenya: Rating Agency Says Cost Of Debt Servicing’ll Remain High Over Local Borrowing

    Zambia Seals $1.1bn Deal With Chinese Firm To Construct 60,000 BPD Refinery

    Zambia Seals $1.1bn Deal With Chinese Firm To Construct 60,000 BPD Refinery

    Gita Gopinath To Step Down From IMF, Return To Harvard Faculty In September

    Gita Gopinath To Step Down From IMF, Return To Harvard Faculty In September

    AfDB To Boost Sustainable Agriculture In Morocco With $116 Million Loan

    AfDB To Boost Sustainable Agriculture In Morocco With $116 Million Loan

    Ghana, Serbia To Sign Labour Mobility Agreement

    Ghana, Serbia To Sign Labour Mobility Agreement

    Ghana: President Mahama Stops Payment Of Fuel Allowance To Officials

    Ghana: President Mahama Stops Payment Of Fuel Allowance To Officials

  • Security
  • Education
  • Sports
  • Health
  • Metro
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Legal
  • Tech & Science
  • Opinion
  • Exposé
  • Exclusive Videos
  • Niger Delta
  • World
  • Politics
    HT Exclusive: With 80 Presidential Aspirants, Is The End Of Paul Biya’s 4-Decade Grip On Power Imminent?

    HT Exclusive: With 80 Presidential Aspirants, Is The End Of Paul Biya’s 4-Decade Grip On Power Imminent?

    CAR: President Touadera Announces Third Term Bid After Removing Tenure Limit

    CAR: President Touadera Announces Third Term Bid After Removing Tenure Limit

    Cameroon: Electoral Body Disqualifies President Biya’s Main Challenger

    Cameroon: Electoral Body Disqualifies President Biya’s Main Challenger

    Insecurity In West Africa No Longer France’s Concern — Minister

    Insecurity In West Africa No Longer France’s Concern — Minister

    Rwanda: Kagame Appoints Top Central Bank Official As New PM

    Rwanda: Kagame Appoints Top Central Bank Official As New PM

    Strained Relations: Ramaphosa, Trump To Meet This Week

    US: Lawmakers Vote To Favour Bill Seeking Sanctions Against SA Over Its Foreign Policy

    As Regional Tension Worsens, Eritrea Cautions Ethiopia Against Conflict

    As Regional Tension Worsens, Eritrea Cautions Ethiopia Against Conflict

    Algeria Is Neutral In Libya Conflict, Says President Tebboune

    Algeria Is Neutral In Libya Conflict, Says President Tebboune

    Burkina Faso: Military Govt Scraps Electoral Body, Says It’s Waste Of Funds

    Burkina Faso: Military Govt Scraps Electoral Body, Says It’s Waste Of Funds

  • Economy
    Russia Forges Closer Ties With Direct Flights To North Korea

    Russia Forges Closer Ties With Direct Flights To North Korea

    Nigerian Govt, BoI Earmark N50m Innovation Grant For STEMM Students

    Nigerian Govt, BoI Earmark N50m Innovation Grant For STEMM Students

    IMF To Visit Senegal In August, With Focus On Hidden Debts, New Disbursements

    IMF To Visit Senegal In August, With Focus On Hidden Debts, New Disbursements

    Kenya: President Ruto’s Convoy Kills British National

    Kenya: Rating Agency Says Cost Of Debt Servicing’ll Remain High Over Local Borrowing

    Zambia Seals $1.1bn Deal With Chinese Firm To Construct 60,000 BPD Refinery

    Zambia Seals $1.1bn Deal With Chinese Firm To Construct 60,000 BPD Refinery

    Gita Gopinath To Step Down From IMF, Return To Harvard Faculty In September

    Gita Gopinath To Step Down From IMF, Return To Harvard Faculty In September

    AfDB To Boost Sustainable Agriculture In Morocco With $116 Million Loan

    AfDB To Boost Sustainable Agriculture In Morocco With $116 Million Loan

    Ghana, Serbia To Sign Labour Mobility Agreement

    Ghana, Serbia To Sign Labour Mobility Agreement

    Ghana: President Mahama Stops Payment Of Fuel Allowance To Officials

    Ghana: President Mahama Stops Payment Of Fuel Allowance To Officials

  • Security
  • Education
  • Sports
  • Health
  • Metro
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Legal
  • Tech & Science
  • Opinion
  • Exposé
  • Exclusive Videos
  • Niger Delta
  • World
No Result
View All Result
First with the News

Senegal: Fears Of Power Grab, Political Instability Trail President Macky Sall’s Postponement Of Elections

The postponement of polls is unprecedented for Senegal which is seen as a rare example of democratic stability in West Africa.

February 13, 2024
in Politics, Top Stories
0
Senegal Fears Of Power Grab, Political Instability Trail President Macky Sall's Postponement Of Elections

President Macky Sall of Senegal.

0
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Whatsapp

By John Ikani

Senegalese President, Macky Sall on February 3rd, postponed elections that were scheduled for February 25th in the West African Nation.

Relatedreading

2024 CHAN: Teams Trickle In As CAF Doles Out $3.5million For Winners

China Offers $500 Per Child To Boost Birth Rate Amid Declining Population

His announcement of the postponement sparked a wave of violent protests, It has also drawn criticism from the opposition as well as raised concerns globally.

Mr Sall said he delayed the election due to a dispute over the list of candidates to run in the now-postponed poll and alleged corruption within the constitutional body that handled the list, among other “irregularities.”

The postponement of the presidential poll is unprecedented for Senegal which is seen rare example of democratic stability in West Africa.

The move plunges Senegal into uncharted constitutional waters with fears of a power grab and attendant chaos that are capable of worsening the political instability in West Africa, a region that has recently seen military coups in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso.

READ ALSO: Reopening Of Niger’s Border With Nigeria: X-raying The Economic Implications

Amid the fears, Mr Sall reiterated that he will not run for a third term.

“For my part, my solemn commitment to not present myself in the presidential election remains unchanged. I will engage in an open national dialogue in order to review the conditions of a free, transparent and inclusive election,” he said in a televised broadcast announcing the poll extension.

However, Mr Sall’s assurances were met with scepticism as he has a well-recorded history of backtracking on promises or going against his own words.

Flashback to 2011

Mr Sall had during his election campaign in 2011, strongly warned against any attempt by the then-incumbent President Abdoulaye Wade to extend his tenure, stressing that such moves would be unconstitutional and destabilizing.

In his own words: “A president cannot extend his term in office. It’s not possible. He cannot extend his mandate for one day. Otherwise, the country would be plunged into chaos and people won’t recognise his legitimacy and there would no longer be authority in the country.”

12 years later, Mr Sall who was due to leave office on 2 April has postponed Senegal’s elections and has launched an investigation into candidates’ approval process.

Fears of power grab

A power grab refers to an attempt by an individual or group to acquire or consolidate power in an unlawful or unethical manner.

Mr Sall first ran for Presidency in 2012 when incumbent Abdoulaye Wade said he would seek a third term mandate.

Wade’s announcement threw Senegal into chaos and at least six people died during protests in the country.

Mr Sall soon became the poster child of a new Senegal with one of his pledges being to shorten the presidential mandate.

“If I am elected for seven years, I promise to only serve five years, and this forum, which will limit the number of mandates to two, and the duration to five years, will not be amendable.”

Mr Sall successfully changed the constitution in 2016, but a controversial transitional clause allowed him to complete a seven-year term under the old rule.

In other words, the referendum that saw the constitutional change was held to reduce the presidential term from seven years to five years, starting with the presidency that follows Mr Sall’s first term.

After completing his first seven-year term, Mr Sall was re-elected in 2019 and began his second five-year term.

As Senegal approached its February 2024 elections, Mr Sall who was due to leave office in a few weeks, postponed the polls.

The Senegalese parliament subsequently voted to extend Sall’s term until December 2024, after a heated debate which AP reports saw security forces storm the legislative building to forcefully remove several opposition lawmakers who were trying to block the voting process.

Critics fear the president is trying to cling on to power. They claim the extension allows Mr Sall to potentially run for another term in the December 2024 election.

Reactions

“Sall led us to believe that he wasn’t going to run for a third term, but in the end, he never gave up on the idea of running a third term,” remarked Abdou Khafor Kandji, Member of ‘YEN A MARRE’ Movement to BBC Africa.

Also commenting on the development, the host of The Africanist Podcast, Bamba Ndiaye reports that “Many entities, including the opposition, have stated after April 2nd, the official end date of his term, he will be considered an illegitimate president. He cannot represent or sign off on anything in the name of Senegal.”

In the streets of Senegal where protests have been carried out against Mr Sall’s move, citizens appear to present a united front.

“The question isn’t whether we are afraid, the question is if we are ready to let the regime go ahead with its agenda or say no. The answer is simple, we have to say no,” said a protester, Malick Diouf to newsmen.

ECOWAS concerned

Meanwhile, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), appears to be deeply concerned about the democratic process in Senegal.

The Chair of the regional bloc who is also President of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu was due to meet Sall on Monday.

However, the meeting has been indefinitely postponed due to massive protests and violent clashes and deaths trailing the announcement of the postponement of polls.

Heritage Times [HT] gathered that Senegalese voters also protested in European capitals over the weekend.

The postponed meeting was expected to see the Nigerian leader call on Sall to respect the constitution of his country and to avoid plunging Senegal into a sustained crisis.

Previously consisting of 15 members, ECOWAS has been weakened to 12 states following the collective decision by junta-led Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger to withdraw from the regional bloc.

Tags: Abdou Khafor KandjiBamba NdiayeEconomic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)Malick DioufPresident Macky SallThe Africanist Podcast
ShareTweetSend
Previous Post

JUST IN: Nigeria’s Super Eagles Return, Set For Tinubu’s Reception

Next Post

Japa: Canada Extends Ban On Foreign Property Buyers

Related Posts

2024 CHAN: Teams Trickle In As CAF Doles Out $3.5million For Winners

2024 CHAN: Teams Trickle In As CAF Doles Out $3.5million For Winners

July 29, 2025
China Offers $500 Per Child To Boost Birth Rate Amid Declining Population

China Offers $500 Per Child To Boost Birth Rate Amid Declining Population

July 28, 2025

JUST IN: Tinubu Showers National Honours On Nigeria’s Super Falcons, Gifts $100,000, Houses Each To Players

Africa Takes Spotlight As UNESCO Adds 26 Sites To Heritage List

Donald Trump Faults Netanyahu’s Claim Of No Starvation In War-Torn Gaza

Taliban: Hardline Islamist Regime Begs UN To Include Afghanistan In Climate Talks

Next Post
Canada

Japa: Canada Extends Ban On Foreign Property Buyers

Please login to join discussion
AfriHeritage Magazine Issue 2 AfriHeritage Magazine Issue 2 AfriHeritage Magazine Issue 2

Updates

Plugin Install : Widget Tab Post needs JNews - View Counter to be installed
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
2024 CHAN: Teams Trickle In As CAF Doles Out $3.5million For Winners

2024 CHAN: Teams Trickle In As CAF Doles Out $3.5million For Winners

July 29, 2025
China Offers $500 Per Child To Boost Birth Rate Amid Declining Population

China Offers $500 Per Child To Boost Birth Rate Amid Declining Population

July 28, 2025
JUST IN: Tinubu Showers National Honours On Nigeria’s Super Falcons, Gifts $100,000, Houses Each To Players

JUST IN: Tinubu Showers National Honours On Nigeria’s Super Falcons, Gifts $100,000, Houses Each To Players

July 28, 2025
Africa Takes Spotlight As UNESCO Adds 26 Sites To Heritage List

Africa Takes Spotlight As UNESCO Adds 26 Sites To Heritage List

July 28, 2025
JESIN GAMES - AfriTrivia JESIN GAMES - AfriTrivia JESIN GAMES - AfriTrivia
ADVERTISEMENT

Most Recent

2024 CHAN: Teams Trickle In As CAF Doles Out $3.5million For Winners

July 29, 2025

China Offers $500 Per Child To Boost Birth Rate Amid Declining Population

July 28, 2025

JUST IN: Tinubu Showers National Honours On Nigeria’s Super Falcons, Gifts $100,000, Houses Each To Players

July 28, 2025

Africa Takes Spotlight As UNESCO Adds 26 Sites To Heritage List

July 28, 2025

Donald Trump Faults Netanyahu’s Claim Of No Starvation In War-Torn Gaza

July 28, 2025

Taliban: Hardline Islamist Regime Begs UN To Include Afghanistan In Climate Talks

July 28, 2025

Mali: Former Prime Minister Choguel Maïga Faces Corruption Probe

July 28, 2025

US To Deny Visas For ‘Birth Tourism’ Applicants

July 28, 2025

About

Heritage Times HT stands as a beacon of pan-African journalism, dedicated to amplyfing the rich tapestry of voices and narratives across the continent. With unwavering commitment, we illuminate the evocative essence of Africa, offering a fresh perspective that captivates our global audience.

Featured

From Hope To Fear: Kenya Joins East Africa’s Crackdown On Free Expression

AfDB Set For A New President, As Ould Tah Gains Continental Endorsement

How Dangote Is Turning Trump’s Trade War Into Africa’s Opportunity

Connect

Connect with us on social media and receive timely updates on the go.

Get Updates

  • About
  • Privacy Policy

© 2024 Heritage Times (HT) Media.

No Result
View All Result
  • Welcome
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Security
  • Exposé
  • Education
  • Sports
  • Health
  • Entertainment
  • Legal
  • Technology and Science
  • Columns
    • Opinion
  • World
  • __________________
  • Make a Donation
  • Photo Speaks
  • Videos
  • You-Report
  • Whistleblower
  • Advertise
  • HT Events
  • About HT
  • Contact us

© 2024 Heritage Times (HT) Media.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In