Amadou Ba, the former prime minister of Senegal, has offered his congratulations to rival candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye for winning the country’s presidential election.
As results from Sunday’s presidential election in Senegal slowly came in, it became clear that opposition candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye may have secured an outright majority in the first round, which would avoid a runoff vote. Faye’s supporters were quick to celebrate in the streets of Dakar, the capital, at the news of this promising result. However, it’s important to note that the official results have yet to be confirmed.
Despite initial reports of a need for a run-off vote, Ruling coalition candidate Amadou Ba, 62, called his opposition rival Bassirou Diomaye Faye to concede the election. The government spokesman said Ba offered Faye his congratulations and wished him well in leading the country. While the official results have not been released, the concession suggests that Faye may have indeed won the election in the first round.
“In light of presidential election result trends and while we await the official proclamation, I congratulate… Faye for his victory in the first round,” Ba said in a statement. Several opposition contenders had also conceded defeat to Faye during the night, including Anta Babacar Ngom, the only woman running.
Millions of Senegalese citizens cast their ballots on Sunday to elect the country’s next president. The historic election took place in the aftermath of three years of political instability and violent protests, which have brought an unprecedented level of support for opposition candidates. Sunday’s election was a chance for the people of Senegal to choose a new leader and potentially shift the direction of the country.