Former Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko sheds light on exit from government

Following his abrupt dismissal from the Prime Minister’s office, Ousmane Sonko has shared his account of the exchanges that led to his departure. The PASTEF leader addressed the public shortly after the announcement, detailing the growing rift between him and President Bassirou Diomaye Faye-Diakhar over policy direction and political strategy.

Behind-the-scenes power struggle in Dakar

Sonko, who served as Prime Minister before his removal, revealed that tensions with the Head of State had been building for months. In a candid statement, he explained that their vision for Senegal’s future no longer aligned with the government’s trajectory. ‘What we envisioned two years ago is no longer reflected in the current Project,’ he stated, adding that discussions about his potential removal had already taken place.

The former Premier emphasized that he had chosen to remain in office to avoid triggering a political crisis. However, after a recent parliamentary address that prompted further debate, President Faye summoned him to the Presidential Palace for a high-stakes meeting.

Clash of visions at the Presidential Palace

According to Sonko, the President made it clear that their collaboration had become unsustainable. ‘He said it would be difficult to continue working together because certain statements I had made were problematic,’ the former PM recounted. Sonko responded that the final decision rested with the President.

He went on to clarify that he had explicitly rejected any portrayal of their meeting as an attempt to reach a compromise. ‘I told him we had not negotiated, and that impression should not be given,’ he asserted.

Sonko’s repeated offer to step aside

The sacked leader disclosed that he had offered multiple times to leave the Prime Minister’s office and take up a seat in the National Assembly if his presence was hindering the executive’s work. ‘On three occasions, I told him: if you believe I’m overshadowing your leadership, let’s discuss and I’ll step down. We could appoint another Prime Minister from PASTEF,’ he explained. He noted that Minister Alioune Sall was aware of some of these exchanges.

Sonko claimed that President Faye had requested time to reflect before their next meeting. ‘After returning home, he messaged me to say he would announce his decision,’ he stated. The announcement of his dismissal followed shortly after.

‘I saw Oumar Samba Ba announce my removal,’ Sonko concluded, marking the end of a turbulent chapter in Senegal’s political landscape.