Senegalese Brotherhood leader declines to endorse Wade

Senegal’s most powerful Islamic Brotherhood leader won't give the imperative order to the millions of it's followers to vote for any presidential candidate in the fourthcoming election.

Serigne Cheikh May Lèye Mbacké of the Mouride Brotherhood said he was breaking away from the practice referred to as ndigueul, where the spiritual leader is expected to decide on the group's favourite candidate.

“I will remain neutral to serve everyone in the society regardless of status," said the spiritual leader at the end of the 117th ‘Grand Magal’, an annual event that gathers millions of followers from across the globe to commemorate the exile of the founder of Mouridism to Gabon in 1895.

Several of his predecessors had ordered the ndigueul to the millions of followers to vote for presidential candidates in the past, especially for ex-president Abdou Diouf.

The ndigueul is considered important because of the millions of votes cast by the Mouride followers in the West African country.
Mouridism, today's most influential religious group in West Africa was founded by Sheikh Amadou Bamba shortly before he was forced into exile by colonial France to Gabon in 1895.

Since then, the group has grown and spread across the world and has since become an eminent factor in Senegalese politics.

Before he became President, Abdoulaye Wade was a member of the Tidiane Muslim fraternity which is believed to be the second most powerful Islamic grouping in Senegal but has since shifted allegiance to the Mouride.

Popularity
On several occasions, President Wade has reportedly tried to woo the Mouride leadership to have the ndigueul go in his favour particularly for the upcoming presidential polls

In 2007, President Wade did not seem keen on soliciting the ndigueul because of his relatively high popularity rating which he helped him to win the polls during the first round.

The Mourides constitute nearly half of the population of Senegal and most of the influential men in the country belong to the fraternity whose holy city, Touba is located about 200 kilometres from Dakar.