A strong condemnation was expressed by Comrade Timi Frank, a former deputy national publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), towards President Macky Sall of Senegal for unilaterally and illegally postponing the country’s scheduled presidential election. The election, originally set for February 25, was indefinitely postponed by Sall, with the National Assembly approving a bill that fixed a new date for December 15.
In a statement released in Abuja on Wednesday, Timi Frank labeled Sall’s actions as a coup against Senegal’s constitution, a document he swore to uphold. Frank denounced the decision as undemocratic, dictatorial, unjust, and unfair to the people of Senegal and democracy in the West African subregion. He argued that Sall’s actions have sown seeds capable of breeding discontent, political instability, and potential coup in Senegal.
Frank contended that Sall, in collaboration with the National Assembly, has illegally extended his tenure through the back door, violating his promise not to seek another term in office. The activist pointed out the restriction of mobile internet access and the suppression and persecution of the media in Senegal as signs of Sall’s dictatorial behavior.
He urged ECOWAS leaders, including the Chairman of ECOWAS and President of Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu, to intervene and ensure that Senegal’s election timetable is strictly adhered to, calling on Sall to reverse his unilateral and illegal decision. Frank warned against allowing Sall to plunge the country into crisis or set the stage for a possible forceful takeover of power by the armed forces, citing recent coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger as cautionary examples.
Furthermore, Timi Frank called on the governments of the United Kingdom, United States of America, and the European Union to impose a visa ban on Sall should he refuse to revert to the initial February 25 presidential election date, citing his attempt to derail democracy in Senegal.
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