Territorial elections: Me Abdoulaye Tine clarifies his remarks after his visit to RTS

After his appearance on the RTS show “Nay Leer”, Friday September 18, 2026, Me Abdoulaye Tine, minister-counsellor and spokesperson for the Presidency of the Republic, wanted to provide an update on his remarks relating to the next territorial elections.

In a statement, he specified that he had “announced neither election date nor message from the Head of State to the Nation”. According to him, his intervention focused essentially on the legal framework applicable to the organization of territorial elections as well as on the prerogatives conferred on the President of the Republic by the texts.

This clarification comes after several press articles reporting his remarks as announcing an upcoming address by the Head of State to the Senegalese on the electoral calendar. During the program, Mr. Tine notably declared: “Now let’s listen to the President to see what he will say to the Senegalese and the argument he will give them. I think when he speaks, everyone will understand. He will speak soon.”

In his clarification, the spokesperson for the Presidency, however, insists on the fact that the Head of State remains in control of the time and manner of his speeches. “The President of the Republic alone chooses the time and form of his speeches,” he underlines.

Me Abdoulaye Tine also recalls the role of the Presidency’s institutional channels in announcing any possible presidential intervention. “When it decides to address the Senegalese, the Presidency informs the public through its official channels,” he specifies.