Ousmane Sonko, the recently dismissed Prime Minister of Senegal, has broken his silence to share his perspective on the events leading to his removal. Speaking publicly shortly after the announcement, the PASTEF leader outlined the tensions that had reportedly strained his working relationship with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye-Diakhar.
Behind the scenes of a political separation
The former head of government acknowledged that disagreements between him and the president were not new. « What we have built over the past two years differs from the original project we envisioned,» he stated, adding that discussions about his potential dismissal had already taken place.
Key exchange at the presidential palace
Sonko revealed that despite these underlying issues, he had chosen to remain in his position to avoid triggering a political rupture. He described a recent conversation at the presidential palace following his address to the National Assembly, during which the president expressed his concerns.
« The president told me it would be difficult to continue our partnership due to statements I had made that were causing problems,» Sonko recounted. « I responded that the decision was his to make,» he added.
He emphasized that the meeting was not framed as a negotiation for consensus, as some reports suggested. « I made it clear that we had not discussed any compromise and that the public should not be misled,» he asserted.
A repeated offer to step aside
Sonko disclosed that he had proposed stepping down from the premiership on multiple occasions, suggesting he could transition to a legislative role if his presence was hindering the executive branch’s operations.
« On three separate occasions, I told the president: if you believe I am overshadowing your leadership, let’s discuss my departure. I could take a seat in the National Assembly, and PASTEF could appoint a new prime minister,» he explained. According to his account, the president declined each offer, with Minister Alioune Sall reportedly witnessing some of these exchanges.
Sonko further revealed that the president had requested time to reflect before their next meeting. « Upon returning home, I received a message informing me that he would announce his decision,» he stated.
The final announcement
The former prime minister confirmed that his dismissal was officially communicated shortly afterward. « I later learned of my removal when Oumar Samba Ba made the announcement,» he concluded.
