Sonko exposes alleged attempts to weaken pastef in Senegal government formation

Senegal’s political landscape has been roiled by fresh allegations from Pastef party leader Ousmane Sonko, who has accused President Bassirou Diomaye Faye of attempting to undermine the party’s internal structure during the formation of the new government led by Prime Minister Ahmadou Al Aminou Lo.

Speaking at a press conference on June 2, Sonko revealed what he described as a deliberate strategy to bypass Pastef’s governing bodies in consultations for the new cabinet. The opposition leader highlighted that several outgoing ministers had been contacted individually by the head of state—a move he condemned as inconsistent with the party’s organizational principles.

« Calling members of Pastef individually for consultations goes against our party’s structured approach, » Sonko asserted. « We operate through designated leadership bodies. This method was clearly designed to weaken Pastef by negotiating directly with party members while bypassing official channels. »

The Pastef leader also addressed a contentious claim made by President Faye regarding his own political standing within the party. Sonko recounted a conversation where Faye asserted his supposed leadership role, to which Sonko responded with a challenge: « If he believes he represents Pastef more than I do, he should organize a rally without my presence. If he can gather even a hundred people, especially in Ndiaganiao where he has never won, we’ll see his true support. »

Sonko further alleged that multiple outgoing ministers had advised the new Prime Minister, Ahmadou Al Aminou Lo, to consult with the party’s leadership. However, he claimed these recommendations were ignored. « The ministers explicitly told Lo that consultations should go through the party president, » Sonko stated. « Yet, the Prime Minister refused to engage with me or designated party officials. »

Sonko also revealed he had personally urged the President to engage in dialogue with Pastef’s structures. « I called Faye to request that consultations be conducted through the party, but he remained firm in his approach. Days later, he continued reaching out to individual ministers and party members, many of whom rejected his overtures, » he explained.

The political tensions culminated in a mediated meeting between Sonko and President Faye, facilitated by Prime Minister Lo and others. Sonko recounted receiving a late-night message on June 1, inviting him to the Presidential Palace. He agreed to attend the following morning at 8 AM, marking the resumption of direct discussions between the two leaders.