Senegal’s political crisis: Tinubu cancels trip to Dakar for undisclosed reasons

…to attend AU Heads of State meeting in Addis Ababa Friday

President Bola Tinubu has canceled his one-day trip to Dakar, presidency sources informed WesternPost.

The trip which was initially billed for today (Monday) was canceled at the last minute for an undisclosed reasons.

Sources disclosed that the trip would hold at a later date.

WesternPost had reported that Tinubu would undertake a one-day trip to Senegal today to meet with President Macky Sall over that country’s political issues.

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.

Meanwhile, Tinubu is billed to attend the 37th Ordinary Session of Heads of State and Government of the African Union opening on Friday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.