Aldiouma Sow denies secret pact allegations involving Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Ousmane Sonko

In a detailed public statement, Aldiouma Sow, a prominent member of the National Political Bureau of Pastef, has come out in support of party officials who chose to engage with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. This move occurs as the political landscape in Sénégal is increasingly defined by a growing divide between the Head of State and Ousmane Sonko.

Dialogue as a core conviction

According to Sow, the political dialogue initiated by President Faye is not a mere tactical maneuver but a deep-seated belief. He highlighted that the President dedicated several days to these discussions, despite having no constitutional or moral obligation to do so, reflecting a commitment that dates back to his calls for national unity.

Refuting the Cap Manuel rumors

Aldiouma Sow used his intervention to address long-standing rumors regarding a clandestine agreement supposedly reached at Cap Manuel prison prior to the President’s release. “Bassirou Diomaye Faye never signed any secret pact at Cap Manuel,” Sow stated firmly, directly challenging recent claims made by Ousmane Sonko. Conversely, Sow suggested that it was other political figures who had allegedly taken religious oaths to hand over the presidency to Sonko upon their election.

Warnings against internal party shifts

The political bureau member further criticized what he describes as “destructive messianism,” a trend he believes has threatened the party’s integrity since 2022. He pointed to previous legislative and local elections where veteran members of Pastef were reportedly sidelined in favor of newer allies. Sow warned that if this pattern continues in future elections, it will result in the political erasure of the party’s core supporters, urging local coordinators to resist such top-down directives.

Encouragement for government officials

Addressing the ministers who have remained in the executive branch despite partisan friction, Sow offered words of solidarity. He told them to take pride in their roles, asserting that while they might be excluded from internal communication groups or suspended from party functions, their place within the broader patriotic mission cannot be taken away.

He concluded by reaching out to those still hesitant within the party ranks, including deputies and other officials, inviting them to move away from the current leadership’s trajectory before it is too late.