In Senegal, lawyers and relatives of Ousmane Sonko are preparing their response

After two new setbacks this week – his confirmed six-month prison sentence for defamation and the Constitutional Council’s refusal to examine his candidacy – the jailed opponent’s allies are considering all possible remedies. For them their candidate is not out of the running yet.

Published on: 06.01.2024 – 20:58

1 minute

With our correspondent in Dakar, Juliet Dubois

Ousmane Sonko’s lawyers are already announcing a complaint against the refusal of the Constitutional Council to examine his candidacy file in the presidential elections next February, as it would be incomplete. The Council did not indicate which parts were non-compliant. This could be the sponsorship form or the certificate of deposit at the Caisse de dépôt et consignations.

Regarding Thursday’s decision by the Supreme Court confirming his six-month suspended prison sentence for defamation and which should result in his ineligibility, the opponent’s lawyers have planned to file a preliminary ruling with the Court, i.e. a request for annulment of the decision. for formal reasons. In both cases, Ousmane Sonko’s lawyers expect to be officially informed of the decision to launch their actions next week.

Despite these two major failures, the former Pastef, the opposing party, remains mobilized behind its leader. If he were to be definitively excluded from the presidential race, plan B would always be Birame Souleye Diop, also behind bars.

In recent days the media have talked about a plan C, in the person of the former minister Habib Sy, sponsored by the deputies of the former Pastef. This is not the case, replies El Malick Ndiaye, spokesperson of the dissolved party. The idea is simply to increase the number of nominations from members of the opposition coalition Yewwi Askan Wi to have a candidate to face the February 25 presidential movement. Ousmane Sonko remains their candidate” at the terminus ».

2024-01-06 19:58:23
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