Highlights: Senegal: Parliament votes for the creation of a committee of inquiry into the electoral process. 11 deputies will make up the investigation team. They have six months maximum to deliver their conclusions. Karim Wade's supporters are hoping for a postponement of the elections to allow their candidate to return to the race. The opposition coalition, Ayib Dafe, unsuccessfully voted against the commission of inquiry.. MPs have neither the power nor the mandate to create an institutional crisis, the ruling coalition says.

After a long day of debate, the deputies decided to open a parliamentary inquiry to scrutinize the decisions of the Constitutional Council: examine the conditions in which the…

Senegal: Parliament votes for the creation of a committee of inquiry into the electoral process

After a long day of debate, the deputies decided to open a parliamentary investigation to scrutinize the decisions of the Constitutional Council: examine the conditions in which the candidate Karim Wade was excluded from the presidential race of February 25 and the accusations of corruption against certain judges of the Constitutional Council. This investigative committee was adopted by 120 votes to 24 against.

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Senegalese deputies have decided to open a parliamentary investigation to scrutinize the decisions of the Constitutional Council. (illustrative image) AFP - CARMEN ABD ALI

By: RFI Follow

With our correspondent in Dakar

Léa-Lisa Westerhoff

Cries of joy resound in the hemicycle when the parliamentary commission of inquiry into the candidate selection process is voted on. For Mamadou Lamine Thiam, head of the parliamentary group of the Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS) and his allies at the origin of this initiative, an investigation into the work of the Constitutional Council was absolutely necessary.

“

Karim Wade was unfairly excluded from the electoral competition. 900,000 voters unknown to the file, nine candidates excluded from the game... So, we think that we cannot go to elections in these conditions. We need to stop and look at things.

Karim Wade's supporters are hoping for a postponement of the elections to allow their candidate to return to the race. Out of the question, replies the representative of the Yewwi Askan Wi opposition coalition, Ayib Dafe, who, unsuccessfully, voted against the commission of inquiry. “

The resolution itself says that it seeks a postponement of the elections, a halt to the electoral process. We are not going to associate ourselves with something - even if it is unrealistic - which is diverted from its proper ends

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On the majority side, we want to be reassuring. MPs have neither the power nor the mandate to create an institutional crisis. Abdou MBow, president of the Benno Bokk Yakaar group, the ruling coalition. “

We are in a state of law, Senegal is a major democracy. Today, the institutions are functioning normally. We have not talked about postponement, we are talking about the search for peace to enlighten public opinion.

Eleven deputies will make up the investigation team. They have six months maximum to deliver their conclusions.

Read alsoPresidential election in Senegal: after the ouster of Karim Wade, the creation of a commission of inquiry is debated

Senegal: Parliament votes for the creation of a committee of inquiry into the electoral process

Senegal: Parliament votes for the creation of a committee of inquiry into the electoral process

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