Senegal’s most famous export, singer Youssou Ndour, yesterday appealed a decision by the country’s top court that rejected his application to run for president in February polls.
He will fight to the end against Wade. This is an injustice
The Grammy-winning artist was rejected by the Constitutional Council that unveiled a list of contenders on Friday night, claiming that many signatures he submitted to support his application were not valid.
The council approved the candidacy of 85-year-old President Abdoulaye Wade to seek a third term, which the opposition says is illegal, sparking fierce protests in Dakar.
“This morning he appealed the invalidation,” Ndour’s spokesman Doudou Sarr said yesterday.
“He will fight to the end against Wade. This is an injustice... He will determine a plan of action and take it step by step.”
One of Africa’s most recognised artists, Ndour shocked the music world on January 3 when he announced he was quitting music to try to unseat the octogenarian president of whom he has become increasingly critical.
“I am a candidate and I will remain a candidate,” Ndour said after the Constitutional Council’s decision.
“Abdoulaye Wade should not even have presented his candidacy as the basic law says he does not have the right to do so,” said Ndour, as the west African nation erupted into riots over the decision.
“This is going to create tension,” the music icon told France 3 television of the Constitutional Council’s approval of Wade’s bid.
“The opposition in its great majority does not support any fiddling with the constitution,” said the singer, adding that the Senegalese people were “tired” of politicians flouting the law.
The dispute over Wade’s candidacy has placed one of Africa’s most stable democracies on edge, and the capital was rocked by violent riots on Friday night which left one policeman dead. “We have exposed ourselves to tensions, to electoral problems from the beginning,” said Ndour. “The die has been cast. From now on, we don’t control anything.”
Ndour described the outcome as a “takeover by force” by Wade, who was first elected in 2000 for a seven-year mandate, and re-elected in 2007 under a new constitution for a five-year mandate.
In 2008, the constitution was changed to allow for two consecutive seven-year terms from 2012, which Wade said did not take into account the terms he had already served.
While the opposition slams this as illegal, the Constitutional Council – which is appointed by Wade and has the final say on constitutional matters – gave the veteran leader the green light along with 13 other candidates.
The five-judge body said Ndour had “produced a list of 12,936 voters supporting his candidacy, of which only 8,911 could be identified and their signatures validated”. A minimum of 10,000 was needed.
“I think they are afraid of me,” said Ndour.
“We have 48 hours for an appeal. Our lawyers are working on it,” he added on Friday night.
Ndour has long been involved in social and humanitarian issues, and in recent years has become more and more outspoken about the current regime, which has been reflected in his privately owned media.
“I have listened, I have heard, and I am responding favourably,” Ndour said on January 3 when he announced his political intentions, referring to numerous requests that he throw his hat into the political ring amid rising tension over the incumbent’s bid for a third term in office.