(Photo from his 2008 concert as part of the Toronto International Film Festival)

The Senegalese star’s plan to run for the presidency of that country hit a major roadblock recently.

The Constitutional Council of Senegal on Friday rejected his bid, claiming he had many invalid signatures on his application.

However, it did approve 85 year old President Abdoulaye Wade’s bid for a third term — something n’Dour and other opposition figures claim is illegal and unconstitutional.

From the Vancouver Sun, Jan. 28:

N’Dour described the outcome as a “takeover by force” by Wade, who was first elected in 2000 for a seven-year mandate, and re-elected in 2007 under a new constitution for a five-year mandate.

In 2008, the constitution was changed again to allow for two consecutive seven-year terms from 2012, which Wade said did not take into account the terms he had already served.

The story also reports stories of violent protests in the capital Friday night, leaving one policeman dead.

n’Dour is appealing the decistion.

Meanwhile, another story claims n’Dour got in a scuffle with police when he tried to enter a police station in Dakar in support of an opposition leader and human rights activist being held there by police.

 

Here is an interview on TIME magazine’s blog with n’Dour on why he wants to be President.