Ousmane Sonko, who was dismissed from his role as prime minister earlier today, has broken his silence to explain the events leading to his exit. Speaking to the press shortly after the announcement, the former head of government outlined the exchanges he claims to have had with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye-Diakhar, shedding light on the growing rift between them.
Long-standing disagreements in governance
According to Sonko, the tensions between him and the president are not new. He stated that the current situation differs significantly from the original vision outlined in their political project. “What we have experienced over the past two years no longer aligns with our initial goals,” he explained. “This is why discussions about my removal were already underway.”
Private discussions at the presidential palace
The former prime minister revealed that despite these disagreements, he chose to remain in office to avoid triggering a political crisis. He described a recent meeting at the presidential palace, held after his address to the National Assembly last Friday, where President Faye expressed concerns about his public statements.
Sonko recounted the conversation, saying, “The president told me it would be difficult to continue our collaboration due to the issues raised by my declarations. I responded that the decision was ultimately his to make.”
He also clarified that he refused to frame their exchange as an attempt to reach a consensus. “I made it clear that we had not engaged in any negotiations and that this impression should not be given,” he emphasized.
An offer to step aside
Sonko further disclosed that he had repeatedly offered to resign from his position as prime minister and instead take up a seat in the National Assembly, believing his presence might be obstructing the executive’s operations. He stated that he had made this proposal three times, suggesting that another PASTEF member could take over as prime minister.
“Each time, the president declined my offer,” he noted, adding that Minister Alioune Sall was present during some of these discussions. He continued, saying that President Faye requested a period of reflection before their next meeting. “Upon returning home, I received a message informing me that he would announce his decision shortly.”
The announcement of his dismissal followed shortly after, as confirmed by the former prime minister.
