“The coming of Pope Sopi has been postponed. Instead he is flying in tomorrow at 3pm,” the spokesperson of Wade’s Senegalese Democratic Party has confirmed.
Oumar Sarr, number two in PDS, the party of Abdoulaye Wade, said yesterday afternoon that the private plane of the former head of state had not been allowed to take off from Casablanca to Dakar. The Senegalese presidency meanwhile, explained that Senegal had not received any landing request or flight plan which should happen normally 48 hours prior.
There was heavy security presence at the airport yesterday and groups of supporters Maitre Wade were turned away. “Senegal is supposed to be the showcase of democracy and we cannot even come to the airport to welcome our president,” lamented a young activist.
But Souleymane Jules Diop, head of communications at President Macky Sall’s office said Mr Wade only wanted to provoke a crisis “as even President Macky Sall, must give his flight plans when he travels”.
Mr Wade had lived in France for nearly two years. He announced his return to his country a week after the decision by a special court judge for his son Karim to stand trial for alleged illicit enrichment.
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