Senegal opposition’s Faye poised to win presidential election

Bassirou Diomaye Faye is set to become Senegal’s president after ruling party candidate Amadou Ba conceded defeat, handing the country’s opposition coalition a sweeping victory.

“In view of the trends in the results of the presidential election and while awaiting the official proclamation, I congratulate President Bassirou Diomaye Faye for his victory in the first round,” said Mr Ba, who served as prime minister until earlier this month, in a statement issued by the ruling Benno Bokk Yakaar coalition on Monday.

“I wish him a lot of success, for the wellbeing of the Senegalese people,” Mr Ba said.

Mr Faye, who turned 44 on Monday, secured 56 per cent of the vote, compared with 31 per cent for Mr Ba, in Sunday’s first round of voting, with most of the ballots counted, according to preliminary results compiled by independent local observers. Candidates needed to secure more than 50 per cent to win outright and avert a second round.

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CENA, Senegal’s electoral body, is expected to announce official results on Tuesday, and an appeals court must ratify the vote.

Some seven million of the country’s 17 million people were registered to vote, and turnout was estimated at more than 70 per cent. Analysts had predicted a much tighter outcome and a possible second round.

Outgoing president Macky Sall congratulated Mr Faye on X, calling his triumph a “victory for Senegalese democracy”.

The result marks a remarkable rise for Mr Faye, who was only released from prison less than two weeks ago after spending almost a year in custody on charges related to alleged defamation, contempt of court and acts likely to compromise public peace.

He was drafted in as a last-minute candidate by an alliance of opposition groups led by the proscribed Pastef, previously the main opposition party, after their first choice, Ousmane Sonko, was barred from running after being convicted of defamation. Senegalese law prevents people convicted of crimes from running for president.

Mr Sonko, who serves as mayor of the southern town of Ziguinchor, backed Mr Faye, and their alliance ran a campaign saying the two men were one and the same.

Mr Faye, a former tax inspector, was Pastef’s general secretary until the party was disbanded by the authorities after being accused of stoking unrest. Both he and Sonko are widely supported by Senegal’s large youth population, who have expressed frustration with the status quo, with many taking to the streets to protest or seeking to emigrate.

Mr Faye has vowed to embrace transparency in government and review contracts awarded in the country’s nascent oil and gas sector, leaving some investors jittery. Mr Ba, who has also served as foreign and finance minister, was considered the establishment candidate who would not rock the boat.

However, Mr Faye and Mr Sonko softened their rhetoric in the days leading up to the election and have backed away from a plan to exit the CFA currency, which is pegged to the euro and used by more than a dozen countries across west and central Africa.

The run-up to the election was marred by turmoil after Mr Sall postponed the polls, which were originally scheduled for February 25th, over what he said were concerns about how candidates were vetted. Parliament, which is dominated by allies of the president, agreed and voted to delay the vote by 10 months.

The decision sparked fury in a country with a record of democratic transitions in a region beset by coups. Protesters demanded the election be brought back on track and accused Mr Sall – who has been in office since 2012 and considered running for a constitutionally questionable third term until dropping his bid last year – of illegally trying to extend his mandate.

Senegal’s constitutional council rebuked Mr Sall for delaying the vote and said the president’s term could not be extended. Mr Sall committed to leaving office by the end of his second term on April 2nd.

Babacar Ndiaye, director of research at the Wathi think-tank in Dakar, said Senegal had demonstrated its ability to overcome difficult situations and that the foundations of democracy were solid, “even if there have been wobbles”.

Senegal’s US dollar eurobonds rose slightly after Mr Ba conceded to Mr Faye. The debt fell sharply in price when the elections were postponed earlier this year. The country’s 2033 bond traded at 84 cents on the dollar on Monday, up just under 1 per cent. – Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2024