Senegalese opposition figure Karim Wade, son of former President Abdoulaye Wade, has urged the country's highest court to invalidate the decision to set the election date for March 24, citing inadequate time for proper preparations.
Wade, supported by members of his father's Senegalese Democratic Party, argued that the timeframe between the recent announcement of the election date and the voting day is insufficient, violating electoral regulations.
The party contended that the two-week campaign period is also inadequate, as Senegal's electoral laws stipulate an 80-day prior notice for elections and a 21-day campaign duration.
Karim Wade was disqualified from the election due to holding French citizenship at the time of candidacy submission, according to the Constitutional Council. The court reviewed 19 candidates, including incumbent President Sall's preferred successor, former Prime Minister Amadou Ba, and Bassirou Diomaye Faye from the primary opposition coalition.
Originally set for February 25, the Senegalese presidential election faced delays following Sall's corresponding announcement on February 3, leading to parliamentary approval for a postponement to December 15. However, the Constitutional Court nullified these decisions on February 15, urging prompt elections and ruling out extensions of the current president's term beyond April 2.
The date of June 2, suggested by a national dialogue held on Sall's initiative, was also rejected by the court as unconstitutional, leading to the final March 24 set by President Sall. The election campaign commenced over the weekend.