Although early reports indicate that 44-year-old Bassirou Diomaye Faye was leading others in the Senegal’s presidential election, it has become sure that he won the election following the concession of defeat by his main rival..
Faye is the preferred candidate of Senegal’s popular and controversial opposition politician Ousmane Sonko.
Faye’s main rival, the governing party candidate Amadou Ba, had conceded in a statement congratulating Faye on Monday for winning in the first round.
Faye, who celebrated his 44th birthday on Monday, will become the West African country’s youngest ever president.
He had been jailed on charges of defamation and contempt of court, and was awaiting trial.
The national electoral commission has not yet announced the tally, but Mr. Ba’s concession followed reports by local media that Mr. Faye had won more than 50 percent of the vote, ruling out a runoff.
Mr. Faye and Mr. Sonko have captivated young people by excoriating political elites, pledging to renegotiate contracts with oil and gas companies, and promising “monetary sovereignty” — Senegal is one of 14 countries that use the CFA, a currency pegged to the euro and backed by France.
Residents of Dakar, Senegal’s coastal capital, began celebrating at 8 p.m. on Sunday, before many polling stations had even had a chance to count the contents of their ballot boxes.
Faye, early Monday, inched to victory in a presidential poll that follows several years of unrest and a political crisis, while the governing coalition said it was certain of a second-round vote.
Whoever comes out on top will be tasked with steering Senegal, viewed as a beacon of democracy in coup-hit West Africa.
Uncertainty reigned over the outcome of the poll, with official results not expected before the end of the week and an absolute majority is required for a first-round win.
Opposition figure Faye had promised voters profound change and a presidential programme of left-wing pan-Africanism.
He appeared clearly ahead of the governing coalition’s former prime minister, Amadou Ba, according to provisional results from individual polling stations published by local media and on social networks.
At least seven of the presidential contenders congratulated Faye in light of initial indications from the ongoing vote count.
“Congratulations to Bassirou Diomaye Faye on his unquestionable victory,” the only woman candidate, Anta Babacar Ngom, posted on X, formerly Twitter.
Dethie Fall congratulated Faye “on his fine victory, clearly achieved in view of the very strong trends that are emerging”.
Faye, 44, and Ba, 62, — both former tax inspectors — had emerged as the favourites to win in a crowded pack of 17 candidates.
Hundreds gathered at Faye’s campaign headquarters in the capital Dakar late Sunday, singing and dancing to the sound of klaxons and drums.
