UDP says Sall’s election postponement is setback for sub-regional democracy

The party in press release urged President Sall to reconsider his decision and to be mindful of his legacy as a democratic leader in Africa.

The full text of the release reads below:

“The United Democratic Party views with great concern President Macky Sall’s announcement of the postponement of the presidential elections scheduled for 25th February 2024 at the eleventh hour on 3rd February 2024.

UDP firmly believes that given the historical ties between The Gambia and Senegal, any major upheaval in Senegal will have ramifications for the Gambia and the subregion.

Considering President Macky Sall’s seminal work in the restoration of democracy in The Gambia in 2017 following the defeat of Yahya Jammeh in December of 2016 and his successive  Chairmanship of ECOWAS  and the African Union portrays him as a great champion democracy in Africa in general and the West Africa subregion in particular.

For these reasons, UDP regards President Sall’s Statement of 3rd February 2024 as a significant backsliding on the democratic gains the subregion has registered since the early 1990s.

Therefore, UDP respectfully urges President Sall to reconsider his decision and to be mindful of his legacy as a democratic leader in Africa.

Postponing a scheduled presidential election   is sending the wrong signals across the subregion.”