EXCLUSIVE : Tinubu to undertake one-day trip to Dakar Monday over Senegal’s political crisis

By Ibidapo Balogun

President Bola Tinubu is to undertake a one-day trip to Senegal on Monday to meet with President Macky Sall over that country’s political issues, official sources have told Western Post.

The sources said barring any last-minute change, President Tinubu, who is also the Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States, will be in that country to hold a discussion with President Sall.

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

With the quit notice served on ECOWAS by three members- Mali, Bukina Faso and Niger-the West African regional leaders cannot afford to fold their arms and allow Senegal to go up in deep political crisis.

Three weeks to the presidential election earlier scheduled for February 25, President Sall had announced a postponement of the poll without immediately citing any cogent reason.

But after a wave of protests, he instigated the Senagalese Parliament to announce December 15 as a possible new date, effectively granting himself an extension in office.

President Sall, who has been in office since 2012, spending two-terms of initially 10 years but moved to 12, is known to also nurse a third term.

If nothing is done by ECOWAS even in the midst of protests in Senegal, President Sall may even extend the election beyond December.

President Tinubu is expected to return to Abuja same Monday.