Opposition supporters take to streets in celebration however ruling coalition says a run-off can be wanted to find out the winner.
Supporters of Senegal’s presidential candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye have taken to the streets of the capital, Dakar, in celebration as early outcomes from Sunday’s vote confirmed the opposition contender within the lead.
The celebrations got here as a minimum of 5 of the 19 candidates within the race issued statements congratulating Faye on what they known as his victory.
However his primary rival from the ruling coalition, former Prime Minister Amadou Ba, mentioned the celebrations had been untimely.
“For our part, and considering the feedback of the results from our team of experts, we are certain that, in the worst case scenario, we will go to a run-off,” Ba’s marketing campaign mentioned in a press release.
There was no fast remark from Faye.
Tens of millions in Senegal occurred in Sunday’s vote to elect the nation’s fifth president. It adopted three years of unprecedented political turbulence that sparked violent antigovernment protests and buoyed help for the opposition.
At stake is the potential finish of an administration led by outgoing President Macky Sall, who’s stepping down after a second time period marred by unrest over the prosecution of opposition chief Ousmane Sonko and issues that the president wished to increase his mandate previous the constitutional restrict.
The incumbent was not on the poll for the primary time in Senegal’s historical past. His ruling coalition picked 62-year-old Ba as its candidate.
Sonko, in jail till not too long ago, was disqualified from the race due to a defamation conviction. He’s backing Faye, the co-creator of his now-dissolved PASTEF social gathering, who was additionally detained nearly a 12 months in the past on fees together with defamation and contempt of courtroom.
An amnesty regulation handed this month allowed their launch days earlier than the vote.
He and his colleague Diomaye have campaigned collectively beneath the banner “Diomaye is Sonko”.
About 7.3 million folks had been registered to vote within the nation of roughly 18 million. Turnout was at about 71 %, in line with state tv RTS.
Election day ran easily with no main incidents reported.
The primary set of tallies introduced on tv confirmed Faye had received nearly all of votes.
Jubilant crowds gathered in Sonko’s neighbourhood in Dakar, with supporters setting off fireworks, waving Senegalese flags and blowing vuvuzelas.
“This is really an unusual election,” mentioned Al Jazeera’s Nicolas Haque, reporting from exterior Sonko’s dwelling. “People are celebrating outside the home of a politician who is not even in the running – Ousmane Sonko. For the people here, the fact that this election even took place is a reason to celebrate. There has been so much pent-up emotion being released. On these streets just weeks ago, there were riots, demonstrators protesting for this election to take place.”
He added: “No one has claimed victory. The counting is still under way, but there are some notable candidates who have all congratulated Faye.”
They included one of many primary contenders, Anta Babacar Ngom, who wished Faye success as chief of Senegal in a press release.
“Congratulations to Bassirou Diomaye Faye on his unquestionable victory,” she mentioned on X.
It was not clear how lots of the 15,633 polling stations have been counted to this point.
Remaining provisional outcomes are anticipated by Tuesday. A second spherical of voting will solely happen if no candidate secures the greater than 50 % majority required to forestall a run-off.