Ousmane Sonko has addressed growing speculation about the possibility of postponing the upcoming local elections. The PASTEF leader delivered a clear and uncompromising message: « We must remember that three lives were lost to prevent the postponement of the presidential election. »
He questioned the justification for delaying the first major election since President Diomaye Faye took office. « The 2024 legislative elections were not part of the normal electoral calendar—they followed the dissolution of the National Assembly before the end of its term. »
The 2027 local elections, however, are firmly scheduled in the national electoral calendar, Sonko stressed. « We will not accept excuses about readiness. When election day arrives, citizens must be called to vote. By January 2027, we must hold these elections, » he declared.
Expanding on his position, the President of the National Assembly argued that postponing these elections is not an option, as their timing is legally mandated. « The electoral rolls should already be under revision, yet this process has not begun. We fought—and some gave their lives—to prevent election delays. We cannot now tolerate maneuvers to postpone them, » he asserted.
Sonko expressed confidence in PASTEF’s dominance in Senegal’s political arena. He pointed to the ongoing sale of voter cards as a strong indicator of his party’s future electoral performance. « The results of the voter card sales already give us a preview of the outcome before ballots are cast. This campaign is a reliable barometer of our electoral strength, » he concluded.
