In a bold move that challenges the state’s authority, Senegal’s top opposition leader Ousmane Sonko has filed his candidacy for the February presidential election with the constitutional council, despite being denied the necessary documents by the national entity that runs elections in Senegal. Sonko, who is currently serving a two-year prison sentence for “corrupting the youth”, has not given up on his political ambitions and hopes to appeal to the Senegalese people who are disillusioned with the current regime.
Sonko’s backup, Bassirou Faye, has also joined the race, along with Ousseynou Ly, an official in their dissolved party Pastef. The trio managed to collect enough signatures to meet the deadline of December 26, even though they faced many obstacles and harassment from the authorities. Sonko’s lawyers said they would file his candidacy regardless of the state’s refusal, hoping that the justice system would be more fair and impartial.
Sonko, a former tax inspector and whistle blower, is popular among Senegal’s large population of unemployed youth, who see him as a champion of anti-corruption and social justice. He ran in the 2019 presidential elections, coming third, and was elected as mayor of Ziguinchor in 2022. He has faced several court cases on various charges in recent years, all of which he denies. He says he is the victim of a campaign to prevent him from standing for president.
