the opposition requests the suspension of the publication of the results

The Senegalese opposition requested, Wednesday evening, August 3, the suspension of the publication of the results of the legislative elections, scheduled for Thursday afternoon, to examine its complaints following“irregularities” and of “frauds”. The power and opposition camps each claim victory in Sunday’s legislative elections, which aim to renew the 165 seats in the National Assembly, largely controlled by the presidential coalition.

“We ask the president of the National Commission for the census of the votes [CNRV] to suspend the publication of the results scheduled for tomorrow [jeudi] to allow us to identify all the irregularities that we have noted in the minutes”declared at a press conference Déthié Fall, an official of the alliance formed by the coalitions Yewwi Askan Wi (“free the people”, in Wolof) and Wallu Senegal (“save Senegal”), led respectively by the main opponent, Ousmane Sonko, and ex-president Abdoulaye Wade (2000-2012).

Read also: In Senegal, risk of political crisis as the two camps compete for victory in the legislative elections

Another alliance official, Aïda Mbodj, spoke of “ballot stuffing” and of “prefabricated and unsigned minutes that they [le pouvoir] created themselves” in localities in northern Senegal, including Matam, Podor, Ranérou and Kanel, strongholds of President Macky Sall. The issue concerns “200,000 votes”according to her. “The Senegalese people will oppose this massive fraud”she said at the press conference.

Very tight results

“We are not going to accept a confiscation of the victory. It is a massive fraud enterprise orchestrated by politicians with certainly the complicity of the administration” territory,” said Ousmane Sonko.

Some 7 million Senegalese were called to vote on Sunday. Turnout was 47%, according to the Interior Ministry. The results of the power and opposition camps are very tight, according to figures published by the local press. The CNRV, chaired by the president of the Dakar Court of Appeal, is due to announce the results of the legislative elections on Thursday afternoon, which are a test nineteen months before the presidential election.

Read also: Legislative in Senegal: the presidential camp claims victory, the opposition contests

The opposition claims to want to control Parliament to impose cohabitation on the power camp. She also wants to push President Macky Sall to give up the project he has been given to run for president in 2024. The head of state, elected in 2012 for seven years and re-elected in 2019 for five years, maintains the vagueness on his intentions. He has promised to appoint a prime minister – a post he cut in 2019 before restoring it in December 2021 – to the party that won the election.

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The World with AFP

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