From Prison to Presidency: 44-Year-Old Diomaye Faye To Become Africa’s Youngest Elected President
- Bassirou Diomaye Faye is poised to assume the presidency after his opponent acknowledges his election win
- This victory marks a significant shift in Senegalese politics shortly after Faye's release from prison
- At 44, Faye is set to become the country's youngest president, with promises of adopting left-wing pan-African policies and initiating renegotiations of gas and oil contracts
Legit.ng journalist Segun Adeyemi has over 9 years of experience covering political events, civil societies, courts, and metro
Dakar, Senegal - Bassirou Diomaye Faye, the 44-year-old presidential candidate in Senegal, is poised to become the youngest elected leader in Africa.
According to a previous BBC report, he was released just weeks before the election after spending months in prison and has led the polls.
Source: Getty Images
If the opposition candidate, who is set to become Senegal's youngest president, wins, it could shake up the political landscape and bring about transformative policies for the country.
Faye pledged a commitment to left-wing pan-Africanism and vowed to revisit gas and oil agreements as Senegal prepares to tap into newly found energy reserves.
The opposing candidate lacks prior national elected experience and has remained silent since Sunday's election, followed by three years of turmoil and political instability.
Ruling party, candidate concede defeat, congratulate Faye
According to a statement, Amadou Ba, Faye's primary opponent from the ruling coalition, acknowledged Faye's victory in the initial round of voting and extended congratulations.
As quoted by Aljazeera, he said:
“Considering the trends of the presidential election results and awaiting the official declaration, I congratulate the president Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye on his victory in the first round.”
Government representative Abdou Karim Fofana also stated that Ba reached out to his competitor to congratulate him.
Faye emerged as the apparent frontrunner based on preliminary results from various polling stations, as reported by local media outlets and social media platforms.
Final results are anticipated to be released by the end of the week, and a decisive majority is needed to win the initial round.
Earlier on Monday, following the provisional results disclosed by the media, at least 10 of the 19 candidates running for president extended their congratulations to Faye.
Postponement of Senegalese election by President Sall illegal, breeding coup
In a recent development, Timi Frank, the former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of Nigeria's APC, has strongly criticised Senegal's President, Macky Sall, for his decision to postpone the presidential election initially slated for February 25.
Sall's move, sanctioned by Senegal's National Assembly, has effectively pushed the election to a later, unspecified date, with December 15 being proposed as an alternative.
Frank has condemned Sall's actions, arguing that they contravene Senegal's constitution, a document Sall had previously committed to respecting and defending.
PAY ATTENTION: Donate to Legit Charity on Patreon. Your support matters!
Source: Legit.ng
