Sonko accuses president of tampering with constitutional reform

Following the adoption of the constitutional reform bill by the National Assembly, Ousmane Sonko outlined the entire process that led to this controversial amendment. The opposition leader did not hesitate to point an accusatory finger at the Head of State, holding him directly responsible for the alterations made to the text.

In a fiery address, Sonko declared: « If there has been tampering with the constitution, it originates from the President. He cherry-picked provisions that suited his agenda, discarding those that did not. The Constitution does not belong to Bassirou Diomaye Faye. »

The political figure went further, questioning the legitimacy of such an approach. « On what grounds can one individual decide which constitutional provisions are acceptable and which are not? This is unacceptable, » he asserted, underscoring the gravity of what he described as a constitutional overreach.

Sonko emphasized that the power to amend the constitution does not rest with the President. « The President is not the constituent authority. The derived constituent power lies with the National Assembly, while the original constituent power belongs to the people when consulted via referendum. »

The opposition leader highlighted specific provisions he believes were deliberately excluded, such as the mandatory declaration of assets at the end of a presidential term and the prohibition of the Head of State from leading a political party. « How can anyone justify amending the Constitution based on personal convenience? This undermines the very foundations of democratic governance, » he argued.