Socialist Party Predicts Easy Victory
February 29, 2000


DAKAR, Senegal (PANA) - The Socialist Party, which has been in the reigns of
power for the past 39 years, has predicted an easy win for its candidate,
President Abdou Diouf during the second round of voting 19 March.

Members of Diouf's campaign team told reporters Tuesday that the provisional
results during the first round of ballot pointed that the party was headed
for a clear victory.

Diouf garnered 42 percent to 43 percent of the total number of votes cast
compared to his closest rival Abdoulaye Wade, who scored between 30 percent
and 31 percent.

Moustapha Niass between 16 percent and 17 percent, and Djibo Ka received 7
percent.

"We shall mobilise the many voters who abstained to vote for our candidate
and convince the thousands of others who voted for other candidates to come
to our side," Ousmane Ngom, whose group, the Senegalese Liberal Party, is
among those supporting Diouf, said.

Another member of the campaign team, Aminata Mbengue N'Diaye, said the
voters would be sensitised through rallies.

Other strategies being laid include the capturing of opposition strongholds
of Thies, Kaolack and Ziguinchor, according to another Diouf campaigner,
Pape Babacar Mbaye.

The team said they would discuss the campaign strategy with Diouf before
initiating alliances with any party.

But Niass, leader of the Alliance of the Forces of Change, has already vowed
not enter into negotiations with Diouf's party.

His counterpart, Wade, has on the contrary indicated his willingness to
enter into such negotiations with any party and was only awaiting the
official results of the Sunday poll.

Diouf's campaign team, meanwhile, defended his campaign director, Ousmane
Tanor Dieng, whom some party officials have demanded sacked.

According to N'Diaye and Mbaye, Dieng's sacking is out of the question
"because we have worked in a team and should be sanctioned as a team if
necessary."
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Copyright © 2000 Panafrican News Agency. All Rights Reserved.

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