Quotes from the Chicago Tribune on the role of lobbying in African elections

"It's smart on the part of Wade. This is a technical issue. It's a legal issue," said George Ajjan, who is in Senegal pitching consulting services to the candidates running against Wade. 

Ajjan said the real problem is not that Wade hired lobbyists, but that none of the 13 opposition candidates running against him thought to do the same. "It's not like the main opposition candidates are poor. And they have a lot of sympathy in Washington. Everyone is saying that Wade should step down. They could have made an effort to get their side heard."