2023-07-08 16:33:47
Dakar, July 8 (APS) – The President of the Republic, Macky Sall, maintains in an interview with the newspaper Le Monde that “nothing and no one can call into question the electoral process” which should lead to the organization of the ballot presidential election of February 25, 2024.
”In 2019 too, it was said that if some candidates did not participate in the election, it would be chaos. However, everything went well. The election will be held and the people will choose their president. Nothing and no one will be able to call into question the electoral process,” he argued.
”No, I’m not afraid. I lead a country, I do not focus on a debate of person. If someone has to be arrested, he has to be,” replied Mr. Sall when asked by Le Monde newspaper whether or not he feared that an arrest of opponent Ousmane Sonko would lead to further violence. in the country.
As a reminder, Mr. Sonko was sentenced in early June to two years in prison for “youth corruption” at the end of his trial for rape and death threats once morest Miss Adji Sarr.
Tried in absentia, he declares that he did not receive a summons from the criminal chamber of the Dakar tribunal de grande instance inviting him to appear at trial.
”Yes. Some call for insurrection, to seize power by anti-democratic methods to undermine the foundations of the Republic. These are dangers for our country. But even if Senegal can be shaken, like all countries, it will resist to continue its march,” assured Macky Sall.
He also accuses La France insoumise, the political party of French opponent Jean-Luc Mélenchon, of having “supported this violence”, that which occurred in Senegal following the trial of Ousmane Sonko for rape and threats of dead. “It is an unacceptable interference”, denounced Macky Sall.
”We will not agree to enter this game of diversion”
”When people attack brigades to take up arms, is this a democratic demonstration? Why destroy town halls, prisons, courts? When protesters burn down houses, does Amnesty International condemn these acts? When we call on young people to die, to sacrifice themselves, where is this organization?” said the President of the Republic, concerning this human rights organization which denounced a ”disproportionate use” of force public once morest protesters in Senegal.
Macky Sall judges ”ridiculous” the filing of a request for an investigation into ”crimes once morest humanity” at the International Criminal Court, once morest him and other Senegalese personalities, by Juan Branco, a French lawyer by Ousmane Sonko. ”We will not agree to enter this game of diversion”, he added on this subject.
”This person will have my support, that of the party and the coalition. We will campaign for him,” he said, regarding the candidate – in the 2024 presidential election – of his party or the coalition he leads.
”It’s too early to answer that question. Mr. Guterres’ mandate runs until 2026. Let’s wait until 2025,’ Macky Sall replied when asked if he is interested in the position of the current UN Secretary-General when he leaves office of head of state in 2024.
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