Buya Jammeh, AfricaNews reporter in Dakar, Senegal
Clashes have erupted in Senegal's capital Dakar and several other city cities ; after the Constitutional Council said President Abdoulaye Wade could run for a third term in next month's poll. A police officer has made his untimely death during clashes with civil society and opposition suppers in the central Dakar
Angered by the decision, protesters threw stones at riot police, who responded by firing tear gas.
Wade, 85, has already served two terms. But the constitution was amended since he was last elected, and he has argued the law is not retroactive.
In its ruling, the court rejected barred famous singer Youssou N'Dour with two other candidates from running saying that they has not submitted the required amount 10;000 signatures to qualify his candidacy.
The Senegalese singer and his rejected colleagues has appealed against the constitutional council’s decision; adding they has submitted over 13; 000 signatures to meet the criteria for next month’s presidential polls.
The opposition had earlier warned it would hold street protests if Mr. Wade's candidacy was approved, and crowds had gathered in central Dakar to await the ruling.
After the decision came through, youths in the area around Place de l'Obelisque set fire to tyres and engaged in running battles with police.
The authorities said the protest would be tolerated in spite of an official ban on demonstrations.
The constitutional court's statement, issued late on Friday, listed 14 candidates - including Mr Wade - as eligible to stand in the 26 February election.
Mr Wade - who came to power in 2000 and was re-elected in 2007 - has insisted that as his first term pre-dated the 2001 constitutional change establishing the two-term limit he is not affected by it.
The list of candidates also includes Idrissa Seck, Macky Sall and Moustapha Niasse and the main opposition leader Ousmane Tanor Dieng.
The court ruled that Youssou N'Dour's candidacy was invalid because he had not gathered the required number of signatures.
The Grammy award-winning musician announced he would stand earlier this month, saying "the people are fed up with career politicians who almost all enriched themselves with the state's money".
For his part, Wade filed a petition with the Commission to withdraw applications of Macky Sall, Idrissa Seck and Cheikh Tidiane Gadio, if they don’t show any proof that they have no outstanding arrears with the tax authorities.
Youths at Place de l'Obelisque said they planned to turn the square into the equivalent of Egypt's Tahrir Square if Mr Wade's candidacy was allowed to go ahead.
Senegal is seen as one of the most democratic and stable countries in West Africa - it is the only country in the region never to have experienced a military coup.
However, tension is rising ahead of the election and one prominent politician has been charged with murder.
The international community including the United states of America; European Union and a group African Diaspora Observers has called for; adding that Senegalese should respect the decision of the country’s Constitutional Court.
They called on all stakeholders to maintain the long tradition in history of peaceful democratic transitions of power.
Attacks on the press
The state own Radio Television Senegal (RTS) branch in Kaolack has also been ransacked angry protest following the announcement of the Constitutional Council confirming that President Wade can run for the presidency.
Sidy Lamin Niass the proprietor of Walfajiri Media Company allegedly he has been threaten by the authorities to stop broadcasting such event or risk annulment of his license.
In a television Mr. Niass said he is not the least taken aback by the said threat against his media group; adding that their work is guided by journalistic principles and they will never concede to such cowardly actions.
Clashes have erupted in Senegal's capital Dakar and several other city cities ; after the Constitutional Council said President Abdoulaye Wade could run for a third term in next month's poll. A police officer has made his untimely death during clashes with civil society and opposition suppers in the central Dakar
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