Youth flood square ahead of court decision

[January 27, 2012]  DAKAR, Senegal (AP) -- Hundreds of youths flooded a downtown square in Senegal's capital, hours before the nation's highest court is supposed to render its verdict on whether the country's president of 11 years can run for a third term.

President Abdoulaye Wade turned in his application this week to be a candidate in the Feb. 26 presidential election. The constitution has a two-term limit, and the population has threatened to riot if the country's constitutional court approves his candidacy late Friday.

The minister of the interior earlier said all public demonstrations would be banned through early next week, but the government granted a last-minute reprieve on Friday. This came after the opposition threatened to go ahead with a rally regardless of whether the government gave it a permit.

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.