The political rivalry between Prime Minister Al Aminou Lo and his predecessor, Ousmane Sonko, has intensified dramatically. Just hours after the Pastef leader delivered a scathing critique of the government’s performance during his Touba press conference, where he also revealed plans to back multiple censure motions in the National Assembly, the head of government opted for a direct response via a post on the social media platform X.

While not explicitly naming Ousmane Sonko, Al Aminou Lo’s message was widely understood as a direct rejoinder to the former Prime Minister’s assertions. “To seek to monopolize patriotism for a single faction is, precisely, to betray it,” Lo declared. This swift reaction from the Prime Minister came on the heels of Sonko’s remarks made after the inauguration of Pastef’s headquarters in Touba. Addressing his party faithful, the erstwhile government chief claimed to have received intelligence regarding confidential statements allegedly made by Al Aminou Lo.

Ousmane Sonko asserted that intelligence reports indicated Al Aminou Lo had, during a private meeting, stated his primary focus was now on “improving the business climate.” Sonko interpreted this as a clear intention to accommodate the demands of Western economic partners and investors. The Pastef president characterized this strategic shift as a “sabotage” of the political agenda he champions. Consequently, he announced plans to table a series of censure motions targeting the government led by Al Aminou Lo, with the stated aim of impeding its policy initiatives.