The Constitutional Council of Senegal has rejected the candidacy of opposition leader Ousmane Sonko for the upcoming presidential election, according to his lawyer. Sonko, who came in third in the 2019 presidential election, has been in a contentious dispute with the government for over two years.
The rejection of his candidacy was based on the claim that his application was incomplete. Over 90 candidates have submitted their names to the Constitutional Council, which will announce the final list of contenders on January 20. Sonko filed his candidacy in December despite the state’s refusal to provide him with the necessary documents.
His lawyers have vowed to appeal the decision, calling it an “electoral farce.”
The opposition figure’s chances of running for president were put at risk when the Supreme Court upheld his six-month suspended sentence for defamation, which also came with a hefty fine. However, Sonko’s camp argued that he still had the right to participate in the election, citing a judge’s previous order for his reinstatement on the electoral roll.
Despite authorities banning a public gathering, his coalition nominated him as their presidential candidate in a closed-door meeting. Leaders from Sonko’s coalition criticized the Constitutional Council, accusing them of being complicit in a plot to remove him from the ballot. Sonko, who has been in jail since July on various charges, including incitement to insurrection and endangering state security, continues to face significant challenges in his bid for the presidency.
