Bassirou Diomaye Faye

DAKAR — Bassirou Diomaye Faye, candidate of the opposition coalition "Diomaye President", has won Senegal's presidential election, according to results released on Wednesday by the country's National Vote Counting Commission.

Faye secured a total of 2,434,751 votes, constituting 54.28 percent of the total votes cast, commission president Amady Diouf told a news conference held in Dakar, the country's capital. The voter turnout rate was 61.30 percent.

His closest rival, Amadou Ba, representing the ruling coalition, trailed behind with 35.79 percent of the votes.

Aged 44, Faye was born in Ndiaganiao, located 115 kilometers east of Dakar.

He holds a master's degree in law from Cheikh Anta Diop University. In 2004, he passed the entrance exam to the National School of Administration and became a tax inspector after graduation.

He served as the secretary-general of the African Patriots of Senegal for Work, Ethics and Fraternity party, which was dissolved by presidential decree in July.

Faye was imprisoned in April and was released on March 14 following the enactment of an amnesty law by outgoing President Macky Sall.

Faye, who has said he wants a "break" from the current political system, is set to become the youngest president in Senegal's history.

Presidential candidates have 72 hours after the results are announced by the commission to lodge an appeal with the Constitutional Council, Agence France-Presse reported.

The Constitution states that if no appeals are made in this period, "the Council shall immediately proclaim the final results of the ballot".

But if an objection is made, the Council has five days to rule and could, in theory, annul the election.

Sall has set March 24 as the new date for the first round of the presidential election, stated a news release of the Council of Ministers in early March.

The announcement came after the Constitutional Council ruled that any date for the presidential election after April 2 is contrary to the Constitution, and noted that the current president's term cannot exceed this date.

During the meeting of the Council of Ministers, Sall also announced the dissolution of the government and appointed Sidiki Kaba as the new prime minister.

On Monday, Faye pledged "to govern with humility, with transparency, and to fight corruption at all levels".

He said he would prioritize "national reconciliation", "rebuilding institutions" and "significantly reducing the cost of living".