All first round opposition presidential candidates have rallied behind Macky Sall in the runoff.

The people of Senegal return to the polls this Sunday March 25, 2012 in the second round of presidential elections after a first round on February 26 that produced no outright winner. In the race are incumbent President Abdoulaye Wade and his opposition challenger and former Prime Minister, Macky Sall.

As the people prepare for the election, President Wade might face his greatest ever political challenge. This is especially as all other 12 opposition candidates from the first round have rallied behind Macky Sall, with Wade virtually left on his own. Added to this formidable show of support is the June 23 Movement or M23 civil society group that has been campaigning against Wade running for a controversial third term. Though he received 34.8 per cent of votes in the first round as against Sall’s 26.6 per cent, the latter appears emboldened by the show of support as the opposition had a combined score of 65 per cent in the first round.

But what explains the opposition’s successful ‘gang up’ against Abdoulaye Wade – including those for whom he was not long ago the political godfather? Observers say Wade's controversial bid for a third term triggered street protests ahead of the February 26 first round, and galvanised the opposition against him. Many Senegalese say Wade is just trying to pave the way for his son Karim, who is minister in charge of several key government departments.

Sall's election promise has been to lower staple food prices and sort out the education system.
Many of his supporters say it's a priority and Sall is the man to do it. He has also won the support of the hugely popular musician, Youssou N'Dour. Abdoulaye Wade is seen as being of the old guard. One of the reasons many of his opponents picked in his third term bid is his age. At 85, many think Macky Sall, in his fifties, is a much better option.

Apart from allegedly grooming his son to take over, people accuse Wade of consulting influential marabouts or soothsayers and promising them huge financial benefits if re-elected. They also argue that the low turn out in the first round was informed by doubts about the fairness of the whole process after polling was preceded by violence. Also, a whopping 13 opposition candidates ran against Wade. But the now united opposition appears to have rekindled hope in the elections and voters who abstained last time are expected to make the difference on Sunday.

The elections are however expected to pass off peacefully just like in the first round. Since independence in 1960, Senegal has regularly held elections and is the only country on the West African mainland that has never known military rule.