2024-03-28 16:40:01
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After several months punctuated by protest movements both in Dakar and in certain cities in the interior, Senegal, the country of Teranga, elected Macky Sall’s successor. A total of 19 candidates, including one woman, competed. Following the first results made public the day after the vote, it was the opponent Bassirou Diomaye Faye of the PASTEF party ((African Patriots of Senegal for Work, Ethics and Fraternity) who occupied the lead, while waiting the officialization planned for Friday. Questioned by a Journalist from Mediaguinee.com, the president of the NGPV party, first praised the maturity and integrity of the Senegalese people, recognizing the strength of the institutions, before encouraging the candidates and congratulate the lucky winner whom he invites to honor the people who believed in him.
Mediaguinee.com : The Senegalese people voted on Sunday for the choice of a president from among 19 candidates. You are a political actor and president of a political party. Tell us how you followed this news since the will of the outgoing President who tried to harm the democracy of the country, considered a democratic model in Africa?
Siradiou Diallo : Even if President Macky Sall wanted to harm Senegalese democracy, we must not forget one thing: this country has a very politically mature people. He can express their dissatisfaction but he always responds at the ballot box. They are a bit of a people opposed to other peoples who are divided. Another thing is that the Senegalese have strong institutions, notably the Constitutional Court which put an end to it following a decree, blocking the will of outgoing President Macky Sall who wanted to extend his power until December 2024 Beyond the institutions, they have men of integrity within the apparatus, because we must not forget that it is the Government which normally organizes elections in that country. It is not an institution like the CENI in Ivory Coast. That said, I followed this election with great interest, but also the Government which organized the elections. These are people who are very mature from this point of view, unlike those in other countries. It is therefore not a surprise because if we refer to the past, former President Abdoulaye Wade also tried to do the same thing, before being beaten by Macky Sall. This means that Senegal is a mature people that cannot be divided. There, there are no questions of ethnicity. They only follow their democratic history. But what happened this time is truly a first. So despite everything that the country has suffered in the past, the Pastef party represented by Diomaye Faye largely dominates the first results.
Mediaguinee.com: While waiting for the official vote on Friday, what do you think of the climate that characterized this electoral process?
Siradiou Diallo: It must first be noted that the outcome of this presidential election is above all the consecration of the maturity of the Senegalese people who expressed their choice, in calm and serenity, in accordance with the long tradition of voting in peace which characterizes Senegal. These people have once again shown their political maturity by maintaining their level of democratization both in the sub-region and at the African level.
Mediaguinee.com: What message do you have to send today to certain nations, notably Guinea, often punctuated by tensions, before, during and after elections?
Siradiou Diallo: I would say that many African countries, notably Guinea, have not evolved in the same democratic traditions as Senegal for a very long time. They have very well trained people. And in a country, the most important thing is human resources. Beyond this training aspect, the Senegalese people have integrity. We in Guinea, people serve one person. And very often, our institutions are remotely controlled and serve the people. When, for example, someone asks them to change the results that came out of the polls, they do it without a second thought. So the problem in our country is that we lack integrity. We can have well-trained executives but(…).
Mediaguinee.com: To close, what a special message to the Senegalese people, to the unsuccessful candidates but also to the lucky winner ?
Siradiou Diallo: I congratulate the entire Senegalese people for showing the whole world the true meaning of democracy and civic engagement. The victory of Senegalese youth is an inspiring example for all African countries. Change is inevitable, you just have to believe in it and persevere. We must encourage unsuccessful candidates to pass through on this occasion. All the same, tell the new President that the Senegalese people have entrusted him with the responsibility of presiding over the destiny of their nation by electing him in the first round to the Presidency of the Republic of Senegal. Above all, take this confidence into account. Finally, I congratulate him and wish him every success in the exercise of his high functions.
Interview conducted by Sâa Robert Koundouno