Senegal: Ruling coalition candidate Amadou Ba concedes defeat in presidential election

Senegal’s ruling coalition candidate Amadou Ba has conceded defeat in the just concluded presidential election. Ba on Monday called Bassirou Diomaye Faye, to recognise the opposition candidate’s win in Sunday’s presidential election.

“Considering the trends of the presidential election results and awaiting the official declaration, I congratulate the president Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye on his victory in the first round,” Ba said in a statement on Monday.

Since Sunday evening when the polls closed, opposition party supporters have been celebrating on the streets around the country though the vote count is still on and results are not expected until later this week. 

To win in the first round, a candidate must gain more than 50% or it goes to a runoff. But according to opposition suporters, the preliminary trends cannot be disputed, making a run-off election inconceivable.

Voters have also praised the peaceful conduct of the election amid preveious concerns of a likely unrest. The months leading up to the election saw deadly protests ignited last year by the jailing of the popular opposition leader Ousmane Sonko.

“I’m satisfied because we can see that democracy is advancing in our country. We really hope that the new president, who is elected by the majority, will manage the country well” said Mohamed Mbaye, a Dakar resident.

This is Senegal’s fourth democratic transfer of power since gaining independence more than six decades ago.

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