2024-01-04 09:11:25
The Senegalese Minister of Justice, a prominent member of Macky Sall’s party, announced a few months ago that Mr. Ousmane Sonko had been removed from the list of people potentially eligible to run as candidates in the February 25 presidential election. 2024, in a country where nearly 2,000 people from all backgrounds are incarcerated because of their political opinions and the main university is closed.
Following a request from Mr. Sonko’s lawyers, the judge in Ziguinchor, the city where Mr. Sonko is mayor and where he votes, then ruled that Ousmane Sonko is fully eligible to be a candidate in the next election. presidential election and that he should be given the sponsorship forms which must be used by each candidate to complete his list of sponsors.
The Directorate of Elections, located in the Ministry of the Interior, illegally refused to hand over the documents to Mr. Sonko’s representative. The head of the National Electoral Commission, contacted by Mr. Sonko’s lawyers, wrote to the Directorate of Elections ordering it to hand over the documents, otherwise the Electoral Commission would assume its responsibilities, overstep them and hand over the cards to Mr. Sonko’s team.
In reaction to this missive, President Macky Sall issued a decree illegally dismissing the entire National Electoral Commission and appointing a new commission headed by an active member of his party. According to the law, the composition of the electoral commission should only be changed in thirds and on a rotating basis.
By refusing to execute the judge’s order, the Interior Ministry violated the rule of law and established a new setback for Senegalese democracy. The Ministry of the Interior is the ministry responsible for organizing elections. It is led by an active member of Macky Sall’s party. This is contrary to what Macky Sall’s two predecessor presidents, Diouf and Wade, had done. They had both appointed an independent figure to oversee the presidential elections, to ensure a transparent electoral process. The Senegalese Ministry of the Interior is in a situation of conflict of interest.
The government appealed the Ziguinchor judgment before the administrative chamber of the Supreme Court of Senegal. From the start of the trial process, the Supreme Court prosecutor indicated that Mr. Sonko’s rights had been violated and that he should be reinstated in the electoral process. Despite this, the Supreme Court Judge rejected the option of letting the Supreme Court make its own decision. He ordered the Dakar High Court to render a new judgment on the eligibility of Mr. Ousmane Sonko.
The judge of the Dakar High Court re-examined the case. The judgment he rendered fully reinstated Mr. Sonko in all his rights as a candidate and, moreover, reinforced the judgment of Ziguinchor. The Judge ordered the Ministry of the Interior to immediately and without delay provide Mr. Sonko with his sponsorship forms as a legitimate candidate.
The Elections Directorate, under the Ministry of the Interior, refused a second time to respect the orders of the Dakar Judge despite Macky Sall’s stated commitment to respect and enforce all court decisions.
Faced with this situation, Mr. Sonko’s lawyers submitted his application to the Constitutional Council with all the evidence supported by bailiff’s reports. This January 5, 2024 is the D-day during which the Constitutional Council will solemnly decide on the candidacy of President Ousmane Sonko. The whole world has its eyes on these seven judges.
We ask all Senegalese, all Africans and citizens of the world who believe in democracy, to demand that the Senegalese Constitutional Council follow the decisions of the two judges by reinstating Mr. Sonko on the electoral lists and leaving him Senegalese people enjoy their right to choose the candidate they wish to see preside over the destiny of their country.
By restoring Mr. Ousmane Sonko to his rights, the Constitutional Council would make a historic decision by putting an end to a long politically motivated vendetta once morest the leader of the Senegalese opposition. The Constitutional Council would restore justice and peace in Senegal.
Free Sonko
Elections2024
Sonko2024
Justice for Sonko
Yassine Fall
Economist and specialist
international relations
1704373028
#Constitutional #Council #Takes #Solemn #Decision