The 49-year-old, who secured the third position in the 2019 presidential election, has found himself embroiled in a protracted dispute with the state lasting over two years, triggering frequent and sometimes deadly unrest.
Sonko’s lawyer, Cire Cledor Ly, asserted that the rejection of the candidacy was based on the grounds of an incomplete application. Ly stated, “When we entered, (Council) President Badio Camara immediately notified us that (Sonko’s) file was incomplete.”
Over 90 candidates have submitted their names to the Constitutional Council, with the announcement of the list of presidential contenders scheduled for January 20. President Macky Sall had previously declared in July that he would not seek a third term, designating his prime minister, Amadou Ba, as the presidential candidate for his coalition in the February 25 poll.
Despite the state’s refusal to provide the necessary documents, Sonko filed his candidacy with the Constitutional Council in December. The state argued that Sonko had been removed from the electoral register due to a June conviction resulting in a two-year prison sentence for morally corrupting a young person. Sonko’s lawyers had vowed to file his presidential candidacy nonetheless.
Sonko, a charismatic opposition figure, has garnered significant support among Senegal’s disillusioned youth, resonating with his pan-Africanist rhetoric and staunch stance against former colonial power France.
On Friday, Sonko’s lawyer criticized the Constitutional Council’s decision, denouncing it as an “electoral farce” and indicating intentions to file “the appeals provided for by law.” Ly contended, “The commission’s composition was irregular because the law stipulates that this verification must be carried out in the presence of the candidate or the proxy.” He expressed concerns about the lack of transparency in the upcoming elections, asserting, “There is a desire to move towards elections which from the outset lack transparency and which in any case will not reflect the will of the nation.”
Sonko’s party television channel attributed the incomplete file to the absence of a certificate from the CDC deposit bank, where a cheque for 30 million CFA francs (nearly $50,000) is required for presidential election candidacy.
The day before, Sonko’s chances of running for president were jeopardized when the Supreme Court upheld a six-month suspended sentence for defamation. The court’s decision, which also included a hefty fine for defamation and insults against Senegal’s Tourism Minister Mame Mbaye Niang, was considered by Sonko’s camp as not impeding his right to participate in the election, as a judge in December had ordered his reinstatement on the electoral roll.
Sonko, an influential and outspoken leader, has been detained since the end of July on various charges, including calling for insurrection, conspiracy with terrorist groups, and endangering state security. (AFP)
