DAKAR, Mar 29 – Senegal’s outgoing president Abdoulaye Wade on Thursday chaired his last cabinet session and asked his ministers to put themslves at the disposal of his successor Macky Sall if needed.
The octogenarian Wade, who lost an unpopular bid to seek a third term to his estranged protege, told his ministers “to back the new government and accompany it if required,” the state APS news agency reported.
Wade bowed out after 12 years in power, conceding defeat just hours after polls closed on Sunday. Official results on Tuesday revealed his rival had trumped him with 65.8 percent of the votes.
Wade scored 34.2 percent, roughly the same he obtained in a first round, while Sall’s ability to win the support of all opposition candidates saw him increase his earlier takings of 26.58 percen
Despite Wade’s bid to hold on to power, he congratulated Sall immediately when his second round defeat became clear.
The west African nation received kudos from the continent and the world for a peaceful handover of power following Wade’s bid for another mandate, which sparked deadly riots.
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