44-Year-Old Opposition Candidate, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, Opens Up Early Lead In Senegal Presidential Election

44-year-old opposition candidate, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, appears set to clinch victory in the Senegal presidential election, according to early reports on the election.

According to provisional results from individual polling stations published by local media and on social networks, Faye is said to have opened up a commanding lead over the governing coalition’s candidate and former prime minister, Amadou Ba.

Bassirou Diomaye Faye

Some other candidates in the election have also started congratulating Faye ahead of official declarations, while the candidate’s supporters have gathered at his campaign headquarters in the capital Dakar late Sunday, singing and dancing to the sound of klaxons and drums.

Young people on motorbikes paraded the streets chanting “to the (presidential) palace”.

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”.

Reactions From Ba’s Camp

The ruling party is however not sharing the optimism of the opposition candidate and his supporters, saying in the worst case scenario, there would be a second round of voting.

Ba’s campaign management said that according to its experts, it was “certain to be, in the worst case scenario, in a second-round”.

It also accused Faye’s camp of attempted “manipulation”.

“It is not inevitable that Senegal will slide into a populist adventure,” the statement added.