LAGOS,Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) – Bassirou Diomaye Faye has been sworn in as the fifth Senegalese President.
The 44-year-old Faye becomes Senegal’s youngest President.
On March 24, Senegal held its presidential election after numerous postponements.
Before the vote, Faye was detained alongside Ousmane Sanko, his political mentor, who was accused of defamation among other offences.
Sanko, who was the main opposition candidate for the presidential election, was barred from contesting. He selected Faye to represent his party.
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Faye was released from detention alongside Sanko ten days before the commencement of the election campaign after an amnesty law was passed.
Faye took over from immediate past president Macky Sall on Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in an event witnessed by African leaders in the new town of Diamniadio, near the capital Dakar.
Nigeria’s President and the Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Authority of Heads of States and Government, Bola Ahmed Tinubu also attended.
“Before God and the Senegalese nation, I swear to faithfully fulfil the office of President of the Republic of Senegal,” Faye said before the gathered officials.
He also vowed to “scrupulously observe the provisions of the Constitution and the laws” and to defend “the integrity of the territory and national independence, and to spare no effort to achieve African unity.”