The political friction between Prime Minister Al Aminou Lo and his predecessor, Ousmane Sonko, appears to be escalating. Just hours after the leader of Pastef held a press conference in Touba, during which he sharply denounced the government’s performance and declared his intent to back several censure motions in the National Assembly, the head of government responded via a post on the social media platform X.

Without explicitly naming Ousmane Sonko, Al Aminou Lo published a message widely interpreted as a direct retort to the former Prime Minister’s statements. His message asserted, “To seek to monopolize patriotism for a single faction is, precisely, to betray it.” This reaction follows Sonko’s remarks made after inaugurating Pastef’s new headquarters in Touba. Addressing his party’s supporters, the former government chief claimed to have received intelligence regarding declarations allegedly made by Al Aminou Lo during a confidential meeting.

“According to information conveyed to me, Al Aminou Lo reportedly stated, during a private meeting, that his primary focus is now improving the business climate. This suggests a desire to meet the expectations of Western investors and economic partners,” Ousmane Sonko declared. The Pastef president characterized this strategic direction as a form of “sabotage” of the political agenda he champions. Consequently, he announced the tabling of multiple censure motions targeting the government led by Al Aminou Lo, with the stated aim of obstructing its initiatives.