Market News

Nigeria's president and head of Ecowas, Bola Tinubu, is due to meet Senegal's President Macky Sall today, Monday, to try and find a way to manage a political crisis created by the postponement of the presidential election that was scheduled to take place later this month.

During the meeting, the Nigerian leader is expected to call on President Macky Sall to respect the constitution of his country and to avoid plunging Senegal into a sustained crisis.

In a press release published last week, Ecowas called on Senegal to “urgently restore the electoral calendar”.

Over the weekend, protests against the postponement grew. Violent clashes with the police resulted in the killing of three students in the capital Dakar, and in Ziguinchor in the southern region of Casamance, stronghold of ex-Pastef leader Ousmane Sonko.

Senegalese voters also protested in European capitals over the weekend.

"The Senegalese took to the streets as they suffer terrible repression from the defence and security forces," Patrice Mendy, representing the Pastef party in France, told RFI.

"The Republic is in danger. This force must rise to establish order. They must serve the Republic, not serve a man or his regime."

Protesters vowed to continue their ongoing actions that left Dakar a virtual ghost town as schools and offices remained closed Monday morning.

Civil society movement Aar Sunu Election ("Let's Protect Our Election") will also organise door to door events and caravans.