SENEGAL’S Supreme Court delivered a pivotal ruling on Friday, overturning a lower court’s decision that would have allowed opposition leader Ousmane Sonko to be reinstated on the electoral register, effectively barring his participation in the upcoming presidential election slated for February 2024.
The controversy surrounding Sonko’s eligibility surfaced after the government struck him off the voter register following a conviction for ‘corrupting youth’ in June, a charge he vehemently contests as politically motivated to derail his presidential aspirations.
Initially, a court in Ziguinchor ordered his re-entry onto the voter register, a decision challenged by the state. However, the highly anticipated ruling by the top Court on Friday nullified this decision, sending the case back to the Dakar High Court for reconsideration, potentially prolonging Sonko’s legal struggle for re-registration.
Sonko’s registration holds significant importance for his candidacy in the forthcoming presidential election, marking a crucial phase in his political journey.
Meanwhile, the Court of Justice of the ECOWAS regional bloc dismissed Sonko’s plea seeking reinstatement on the register, along with his claims of rights violation by the state, further intensifying the legal impasse.
The 49-year-old opposition leader, affiliated with the Patriots of Senegal for Work, Ethics, and Fraternity (PASTEF), faced additional challenges after the government dissolved his political party earlier this year.
Sonko’s tumultuous journey continues as he remains detained in a Dakar prison since his arrest in July, facing charges related to incitement and conspiracy against the state. His recent hospitalization due to a hunger strike culminated in his return to prison.
In the 2019 elections, Sonko secured the third position against President Macky Sall, who has ruled out seeking a third term, setting the stage for a tense and contentious political landscape leading up to the upcoming polls.
