Ousmane Sonko shares the inside story of his exit from the Primature

The former Prime Minister and leader of the Pastef party, Ousmane Sonko, has provided a detailed account of the events that led to his removal from the head of government. In a public address, he shared his perspective on the breakdown of his working relationship with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye.

The turning point at the National Assembly

According to Ousmane Sonko, the situation reached a climax on Friday, May 25, following his appearance at the National Assembly. The President of the Republic requested an urgent meeting. During their discussion, Bassirou Diomaye Faye reportedly explained that maintaining their collaboration had become nearly impossible, citing the political friction caused by Sonko‘s statements before the legislators.

The former head of government revealed that he had previously offered to step down on multiple occasions. Following the legislative elections, he met with the President three times in the presence of witnesses. Sonko maintained that if his role within the Executive was obstructing the President’s agenda, he was willing to return to the National Assembly to ensure their partnership continued under better circumstances. However, the President consistently rejected these offers at the time.

Signs of a growing rift

For several weeks, Ousmane Sonko had observed indicators of a brewing crisis at the highest levels of the state. He noted that while serving at the Primature, he felt increasingly under the President’s direct supervision. During their final face-to-face exchange, the two did not agree on how to handle the separation. The President reportedly wanted Sonko to take the lead by announcing a mutual and amicable departure, a proposal that Sonko flatly refused.

To resolve the deadlock, the Pastef leader presented the President with two clear choices: either Sonko would return to the National Assembly to allow the majority to select a new Prime Minister, or they would continue negotiations to find a consensus. If neither was acceptable, he argued that the President must take the responsibility of formally dismissing him from his duties.

A dismissal via text message

The narrative concludes with a final exchange during the Pentecost celebrations. President Bassirou Diomaye Faye had indicated he would resume their dialogue after visiting the Archbishop of Dakar. However, the expected conversation never happened. Instead, at 8:35 PM, the President sent a text message informing Sonko of the decision to terminate his functions.

“Fifteen minutes later, I saw the official statement from the Secretary General of the Presidency,” Sonko recounted. Having officially taken note of the decision, the former Prime Minister immediately began packing his belongings to return to his residence in Cité Keur Gorgui, marking the end of his tenure at the Primature.