An opposition party in Senegal, the Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS), refuses to ally with former Prime Minister Aminata Touré in the establishment of an opposition platform
The political formation considers that Touré was, during eleven years of the governance of BÉNNO BOKK YAKAAR, the presidential coalition, « one of the main responsible for the decline in the rule of law, democracy and poverty which strikes today ‘today the Senegalese’.
“It is unacceptable that Aminata Touré, then Minister of Justice, who in 2012, not having confidence in the Senegalese judges of the CREI, set up an office composed of retired foreign judges, in particular French, whom she received regularly in its offices in order to better go after and violate the rights of the candidate of the PDS, please clear yourselves today and buy political virginity to the point of wanting to share the same framework of struggle as the legitimate opposition », insists the political training.
The PDS also alerts to the fact that, Aminata Touré being the subject of serious accusations in a report of the General State Inspectorate (IGE) for acts of embezzlement of public funds and corruption, wants to make opposition legitimizes a refuge and a shield to protect itself. In view of the seriousness of the facts revealed by the IGE which incriminate Mrs. Touré, the PDS demands the immediate declassification and publication without delay of the IGE report.
More than that, the party founded by the former Senegalese president Abdoulaye Wade calls on the opposition, civil society as a whole, the civil forum, and more particularly its coordinator Mr. Birahim Seck, himself a member of the Economic, Social Council and Environment (CESE), as well as all the national and international organizations fighting corruption, the living forces of this country, to demand that light be shed on these serious accusations of embezzlement of the EESC budget and the Covid- 19.
The formation says it has been calling for, for several years, « the establishment of a unitary framework of the opposition in order to demand the appointment of an independent personality to organize the presidential election of 2024 as well as an independent audit of the file and the electoral process with the support of the African Union and partners such as the European Union and the United States”.
This platform of the opposition should bring together all the active forces for the defense of the nation. However, specifies the PDS, « for ethical reasons, the party cannot share any platform for democratic struggles with Aminata Touré whose place is not on the benches of the opposition but on the benches of the courts to respond to the serious accusations of embezzlement of public funds and of the billions that it stole from the Senegalese people ».
Reacting to this media release, through a press release published the same day, Aminata Touré affirms that she “does not intend to maintain public personal quarrels at this crucial moment in the life and future of our country”.
“I would just like to say that Senegal is at an important turning point in its history with President Macky Sall’s attempt to run for a legally and morally unacceptable third term. All the democratic forces of this country must mobilize in a large gathering so that Senegal does not experience any democratic decline, even less instability in our already fragile sub-regional context”, she indicates.
The former Minister of Justice affirms that “the leadership of the PDS is in advanced negotiations with President Macky Sall and everyone knows it. It is their deal in completion with President Macky which prevents them from being able to take part in the construction of the broad front of the opposition and the living forces of the Nation in gestation to prevent a third candidacy of President Macky Sall « .
It is impossible for the PDS, she insists, « to attack President Macky Sall since he is in secret collaboration with the latter while declaring himself in the opposition ».
And to continue, « since the installation of the National Assembly, the PDS has systematically distanced itself from all the initiatives of the opposition and has aligned itself with the decision of President Macky Sall to illegally withdraw my mandate as deputy. « .
The former Prime Minister maintains that ultimately, « the PDS, being in a deal with President Macky Sall, cannot comment on the national debate of the 3rd term which interests the Senegalese preferring to hide behind personal debates ».
She challenges the fact that “it is not about our respective people but about our Democracy built with the sweat and blood of several generations. Instead of personal attacks, I invite them to speak out bluntly on the impossibility of President Macky to run for a third term.
By OMA Newsletter N° 1075 of 06/03/2023
Article published under the direction of Dr. Najib Kettani
The OMA, NGO with an Intercontinental vocation
For the development of cultural exchanges
Valuing human potential
The promotion and consolidation of Africa’s development, and
Inter-African integration
