Senegal's president concedes election defeat

Ulhas Joglekar ulhasj at bom4.vsnl.net.in
Tue Mar 21 05:16:56 PST 2000


Tuesday 21 March 2000

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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