Senegalese President Macky Sall has called on participants in the national dialogue to reach a consensus on a date for the postponed presidential election - or he will ask the Constitutional Council to find a "replacement" for him when his mandate expires on April 2.
"If we reach a consensus, I will set the date for the election," the president said, addressing the members of the national dialogue. "Otherwise, I will ask the Constitutional Council to find my a replacement on April 2."
He also reiterated that his term would end on April 2 and expressed his desire to move toward "peaceful, inclusive and transparent elections."
The president also promised to present a bill on Wednesday for a general amnesty for offenses related to political demonstrations in Senegal starting in 2021.
On December 16, Senegal's Constitutional Court annulled Sall's decree to postpone the presidential election. Sall said he had taken note of the decision and intended to hold consultations in the near future to organize the vote.
Last Monday, the country's Constitutional Council published the list of 19 candidates eligible to run in the presidential elections. Last Friday, 16 of them refused to participate in the consultations and demanded that Sall set an election date before April 2.
In his address to the nation in July 2023, Sall announced that he is not seeking re-election. Instead, he nominated the country's prime minister, Amadou Ba, as the ruling party's candidate for the election.