Senegal’s President Macky Sall has said that he had no regrets for his attempts to postpone elections that were due to be held last month, sparking deadly protests in the country.
Mr Sall said that the decision to delay the vote was not taken unilaterally, but was due to electoral concerns raised by members of parliament.
“I have no apology to make, I have done nothing wrong. I am speaking to you as president of the republic. All the actions that have been taken have been within the framework of the law and regulations,” President Sall said.
His plans to delay the polls, which led to violent clashes and political tension across the country, were eventually overturned by the country’s top court.
The elections are due to be held on Sunday after a failed bid to push them to December.
Critics had accused the president of trying to extend his stay in power.
But Mr Sall insists that he will not stay a day longer even if Sunday’s vote presents no outright winner.
Last week, the main opposition leader and one of Mr Sall’s fiercest critics Ousmane Sonko and his party’s presidential candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye were released from prison under a presidential amnesty.
President Sall denies that the charges against his rivals were politically motivated.
He is standing down after serving two terms in office.
His ruling coalition party Benno Bokk Yakaar (BBY) has picked 62-year-old Amadou Ba to run for the presidency.