Seck announced his candidacy for President in April 2006; he had been arrested in 2005 on charges of embezzlement and threatening state security but never faced a trial and was eventually released in February 2006.

[13] Ousmane Tanor Dieng ran as the candidate of the former ruling Socialist Party (PS).

[14] Former Prime Minister Moustapha Niasse ran as the candidate of a coalition of opposition parties, including his own Alliance of the Forces of Progress (AFP).

[19] Wade faced criticism over a variety of issues, including unemployment and the continuing Casamance conflict, as well as alleged corruption and the delays of the parliamentary election.

[24] Final results from the Constitutional Council on 11 March gave Wade 55.90%, Seck 14.92%, and Dieng 13.56%.

[2] Wade was sworn in on 3 April at the Leopold Sedar Senghor Stadium in Dakar, with many African leaders and about 60,000 spectators in attendance.