This puts the likes of Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Senegal's Macky Sall under pressure as they prepare to send troops...

Surprised relief greeted President Macky Sall's 3 July announcement that he will not seek a third term in next February's election – after months of insisting that he had the right to stand again because constitutional changes had restarted the term limit clock (AC Vol 64 No 2 Sall manoeuvres for a high-risk third term)...

But President Macky Sall's administration has been badly shaken by the international opprobrium following the arrest of more than 500 protestors and death of at least 16 in the wake of Sonko's trial...

On the political front compromise remains elusive though former Dakar mayor Khalifa Sall Sonko's co-leader in the Yewwi Askan Wi alliance has been taking part in the national dialogue and Macky Sall has promised a statement after these talks end...

Although the consequences of the sentence were plain to all President Macky Sall maintained a stony silence on the case and on the key question of whether or not he would stand for a third presidential term...

More than two years after he was first charged with raping the masseuse Adji Sarr and then making death threats Ousmane Sonko the charismatic leader of the Pastef Les Patriotes party and one of President Macky Sall's most determined opponents this week finally faced trial after an incendiary build-up to the proceedings...

) Acquittal for Sonko whose fiery populist rhetoric has earnt him heroic status among young Senegalese would set him up for probable victory over President Sall if as widely expected the latter breaks his 2012 public promise not to stand for a third term of office (AC Vol 63 No 11 Macky Sall faces the third-term curse)...

She is widely respected as a capable administrator a reputation undamaged by her sudden defection from the presidential camp last September in fury at Macky Sall's decision not to name her parliamentary speaker even though she had just led the narrowly victorious legislative election campaign of the ruling Benno Bokk Yakaar (BBY) alliance (AC Vol 63 No 19 Weakened president in troubled waters)...

Seck contends that President Macky Sall – who has been silent on his intentions – will be constitutionally barred from seeking a third term should he choose to pursue re-election...