Tinubu congratulates Faye, the incoming president of Senegal.
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Following Mr. Bassirou Faye’s election as the President of the Republic of Senegal on Wednesday, President Bola Tinubu congratulated him.
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Macky Sall, the president-elect, was also commended by him for conducting an election that was largely seen as transparent and peaceful.
“President Tinubu congratulates President-elect Bassirou Dionaye Faye and the people of the Republic of Senegal,” reads a statement which bears the signature of Ajuri Ngelale, his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity.
Following an extraordinary triumph in Sunday’s presidential election on March 24, 2024, Faye was declared the winner of Senegal.
Approximately 17 million Senegalese citizens were estimated to be registered to vote, according to the electoral commission of the nation. Over 61 percent of voters cast ballots, according to the civil society observer group COSCE.
Obtaining more than fifty percent of the vote was necessary for candidates to win.
Preliminary results indicated that Faye, the opposition candidate, was polling at roughly 53.7%, despite the Senegalese News Agency (APS) stating that the results will be announced by the constitutional council on April 3.
Additionally, the electoral commission reported that Amadou Ba, the candidate of the ruling coalition and a former prime minister, received 36.2% of the vote in the first round of voting, based on tallies from 90% of polling places.
Ba, who had the backing of incumbent President Sall, conceded defeat based on the preliminary results.
Faye has since welcomed the move, saying, “I salute the approach of the other candidates who, without exception, have honored a very Senegalese tradition without even waiting for the official results to be announced by the authorized state bodies.”
Ousmane Sonko, the leader of the opposition, trained Faye to be a humble leader who would battle corruption and shield Senegal from outside influence and corruption.
In response to the events, Tinubu stated, “We wish President-elect Faye success as he takes on this important job of leading the good people of Senegal. He comes with great promise and a sterling record.”
The results of the recent successful general election in Liberia and the presidential election in Senegal, he claimed, validated his long-held belief that democracy is deeply ingrained in West Africa and will only become more robust when it is nourished by justice, fairness, and good governance.
The successful outcome of the Senegalese election, according to the President in his capacity as ECOWAS Chairman, is “a boost to the sub-regional organization in its efforts to promote peace and constitutional order, as well as strengthen ties among member states.”
Consequently, he expressed his congratulations to the Senegalese people and gave them Nigeria’s best wishes and support.
Term limits were imposed, preventing Sall from running for a third term, so this Sunday’s election was the first to feature no incumbent president.
