(3 Minutes Read)
Opposition candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye is set to become Senegal’s next president after provisional results showed the 44-year-old was headed for a huge first-round victory. Meanwhile, Amadou Ba, the Prime Minister and candidate of the ruling coalition, conceded defeat and congratulated Faye, a former tax inspector
Opposition candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye is set to become Senegal’s next president after provisional results showed the 44-year-old was headed for a huge first-round victory. Meanwhile, Amadou Ba, the Prime Minister and candidate of the ruling coalition, conceded defeat and congratulated Faye, a former tax inspector.
www.trendsnafrica.com has been reporting updates on the elections in Senegal, which has evoked some controversies because of the delays in holding the election and erratic decisions for the postponement of elections, which evoked international media attention.
Earlier, Ba’s supporters had hoped that their candidate would mount some sort of comeback to at least force a runoff vote. Run-off is conducted when any of the candidates fail to get 50% of the votes polled. There were 19 presidential aspirants in the fray, although the main contenders were Faye and Ba. The official announcement of the election results is expected soon. The election commission has until midnight on Friday to announce the results of Sunday’s presidential election. Analysts say it is unlikely there will be any petition before the constitutional court as the main contender had conceded defeat. Bassirou Diomaye Faye was in jail alongside ally and kingmaker Ousmane Sonko. The pair was released the week before the presidential election.
Nicknamed as Mr Clean, Faye has a huge task ahead of him. A BBC report attributes that he is methodical and modest. He is proud of his rural upbringing and proclaims that he tills the land every Sunday, despite his political commitments.
Fighting poverty, injustice, and corruption are at the top of Faye’s agenda. While working at the Treasury, he and Sonko created a union task force to tackle graft. He also has the unique name of a tax collector because of his previous role as a tax collector. Gas, oil, fishing, and defense deals must all be negotiated to better serve the Senegalese people. That pauses a huge challenge for the new incumbent.
Read Also:
https://trendsnafrica.com/senegal-elections-early-results-show-bassirou-faye-closing-in-on-victory/
https://trendsnafrica.com/senegal-will-vote-today-to-elect-a-new-president/
The reaction from international markets was less jubilant, with Senegal’s dollar bonds falling to their lowest level in five months. Investors are concerned Faye’s presidency may wind down the country’s business-friendly policies. His pro-people approach lends credence to such approaches.
