‘Postponement Of Elections Is A Constitutional Coup’ – Falana Asks ECOWAS To Sanction Senegalese President

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, has called on the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to contemplate imposing specific sanctions, such as travel bans and asset freezes, on President Macky Sall of Senegal and his government officials.

Falana emphasized the necessity for ECOWAS to promptly convene an extraordinary session to address the declining human rights and rule of law conditions in Senegal.

The call came in response to Sall’s decision to postpone this month’s elections, citing a dispute over the eligibility of candidates.

Naija News reports that Senegal’s parliament had approved the decision to postpone the presidential election, originally scheduled for February 25, to December 15.

Falana asserted that the election delay indicates Sall’s deliberate strategy to manipulate the country’s Constitution, aiming to cling to power against the wishes of the people and their collective aspirations.

Falana’s statement, in part, “Imposing targeted sanctions on Mr Sall and officials of his government is consistent with the provisions of ECOWAS treaties and protocols including article 45 (2) of the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance.

“The postponement of the elections is a constitutional coup and a major threat to the rule of law and constitutional government not only in Senegal but also across the subregion, especially given planned exit of Burkina-Faso, Niger and Mali from the ECOWAS.

“The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights has observed that the right of a people to determine its ‘political status’ involves the right of citizens to be able to choose freely those persons or party that will govern them and that government by force is incompatible with the rights of peoples freely to determine their political future’, contravening articles 13(1) and 20(1) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

“The government of Senegal has severely repressed its people. This transgression deserves sanctions.

“The ECOWAS leaders must act now to compel full and effective compliance with its treaties and protocols and to serve as deterrent to other ECOWAS member states.“