Senegal's president concedes election defeat
DAKAR: Senegal's president, Abdou Diouf, conceded defeat on Monday in the
West African nation's presidential election, the privately-run Sud FM radio
station reported.
The radio, quoting what it said was a communique from the presidency, said
that Diouf had congratulated his veteran rival Abdoulaye Wade on his victory
in Sunday's runoff, the first in the country's history.
A spokesman for the presidency confirmed that the statement was genuine.
Wade's victory ends the stranglehold on power of the Socialist party, which
has ruled the former French colony since independence in 1960. Diouf, 64,
had been president for 19 years.
``The President telephoned Mr. Wade, the elected president of the republic,
on Monday morning to congratulate warmly him on his victory,'' an announcer
on Sud FM said, quoting from the statement.
Social Democrat Wade, 73, was contesting the presidency for a fifth time. He
first ran against Senegal's independence president, Leopold Sedar Senghor,
in 1978. Diouf said earlier he would step down if he lost the election.
(Reuters)
For reprint rights: Times Syndication Service
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