Opposition candidates in Senegal have insisted that President Macky Sall must conduct an election and leave office on the expiration of his tenure on April 2. 

Fifteen of the 20 candidates cleared to run in the 2024 presidential election made this demand in a statement on Monday.

“The new polling date and the date for the handover between the president and his successor must be held no later than 2 April,” the candidates said.

Former Dakar mayor Khalifa Sall and Bassirou Diomaye Faye were among the fifteen candidates who signed the statement.

This followed opposition parties’ demonstration on Saturday calling for an election to be conducted quickly in March.

Senegal, a bastion of democracy among neighbouring countries notorious for coup d’état and military takeover, has since 1960 has enjoyed stable democracy. 

But the recent postponement of the election by Mr Sall has thrown the country into crisis, with its election calendar about to be disrupted.

On February 3, Mr Sall, who assumed office in 2012 and is almost rounding off his constitutional terms announced the election postponement.

With the military forcing opposition lawmakers out, 105 parliament members endorsed Mr Sall’s postponement, delaying the election till December 15.

Last Thursday, Senegal’s Constitutional Council, however, declared election postponement that would see Mr Sall stay in office beyond April 2, unlawful.

Mr Sall has agreed to conduct the election as soon as possible but gave no specific date as to when the election will be conducted.