United States Department and Nigerian human rights activist, Femi Falana(SAN), have condemned Senegal’s postponement of presidential election till December by the parliament.

Describing shift of the February 25, 2024 poll by the President Macky Sall administration, communicated on Monday night by the lawmakers as illegitimate and unconstitutional, the American nation, in a statement by the department’s spokesman, Matthew Miller, noted: The United States is deeply concerned by actions taken to delay Senegal’s February 25 presidential election, which run contrary to Senegal’s strong democratic tradition.

“We are particularly alarmed by reports of security forces removing by force, parliamentarians, who opposed a bill to delay the election, resulting in a National Assembly vote that cannot be considered legitimate, given the conditions under which it took place.”

Also yesterday, human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) called on Heads of State and Government of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to, urgently, organise an extra-ordinary session to discuss and respond to the humanitarian challenge in the country.

His words: “ECOWAS leaders should consider imposing targeted sanctions, including imposing travel bans, asset freezes and others on Mr Sall and officials of his government responsible for serious violations of the democratic rights of the people of Senegal.”

He said imposing sanctions on Sall and officials of his government is consistent with provisions of ECOWAS treaties and protocols, including Article 45 (2) of the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance.

Falana continued: “Article 2 (1) & (2) of the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance stipulates that no substantial modification shall be made to the electoral laws in the last six months before elections, except with the consent of a majority of political actors.  All the elections shall be organised on the dates or at periods fixed by the constitution or the electoral laws.

“In July 2023, President Macky Sall dropped his ambition to run for a third term in this year’s election, ending years of uncertainty over his political future that helped fuel deadly opposition protests.

“Since then, he has been manipulating the democratic process to instal his surrogate. The illegal postponement of the elections is due to President Sacky Mall’s fear that his chosen candidate would be rejected at the poll by the Senegalese people.”

The senior lawyer stated that the postponement was a constitutional coup, as well as a major threat to rule of law and constitutional government not only in Senegal, but also across the sub-region, given the planned exit of Burkina-Faso, Niger and Mali from ECOWAS.

He said: “The postponement of elections is also a fundamental breach of the Lomé Declaration and African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, which Senegal has signed. Senegal signed the charter on December 15, 2008, and as such, the government has a good faith to comply with provisions of the charter .

“I also note provisions of Article 3(h) of the African Union Constitutive Act. In fact, during the 35th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the OAU, delegates unanimously rejected any unconstitutional change as an unacceptable and anachronistic act, which is in contradiction of our commitment to promote democratic principles and conditions.”