Senegal: Ousmane Sonko reveals the reasons for his dismissal

Written by Ziad Abdel Fattah:

Former Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, the current president of the Senegalese National Assembly (the parliament in Senegal), revealed the reasons for his departure from the position of head of government and his defection from President Bassiro Guillaume Faye, giving a detailed account of the crisis that is shaking the national political scene.

He said at a press conference on Tuesday that on Friday, May 22, 2026, he was invited by the President of the Republic, Basiru Jumai Jakhare Vai, in his capacity as Prime Minister, to a meeting at the Presidential Palace.

He added that they spoke, and President Fay expressed his desire to end their cooperation, given that a number of positions Sonko had taken recently were inappropriate or problematic for him.

Institutions in Senegal conspired against Sonko

Sonko explained that he had taken that into account and presented him with a proposal that he had made several times, which was to withdraw and return to the National Assembly, while his term as a member of parliament remained in effect. He added that up to this moment, strenuous efforts are being made to obtain from the Constitutional Council a decision that would be the most unjust in the history of the institution, to cancel his term as Speaker of Parliament.

He continued: This is unacceptable. From 2016 until today, the same institutions, bodies, and methods have been used to conspire against me everywhere I have been involved in political work. These methods have been used to remove me from the civil service, fabricate legal cases against me, persecute me, imprison me, and prevent me from running for public office. Under the current situation, it is clear that they intend to continue with these same practices.

Attempts to propose a solution that suits all parties

He confirmed that he had approached him several times to propose a solution, which is to separate by mutual consent, for Sonko to join the National Assembly, to discuss the selection of a prime minister from the party with the majority, and to form a new government to continue working together, and that this would not prevent him from continuing to help him perform his duties.

He pointed out that he had submitted the proposal three times, especially after the legislative elections whose results are well known, as the list of the Pastef party topped the list, winning more than 80% seats, but each time he rejected the option, saying: “Your place is next to me, inside the executive branch, because there is a lot that needs to be done.”.

He explained that the matter could have been settled amicably, but the president had chosen another path, and he had informed him of this, and Sonko had taken the matter into consideration. However, he had only made one proposal.

Sonko told the president that the country could not do without a serious government, and that he had been prime minister for two years; he knew what that meant.

Sonko suggested that the measure not be announced immediately, and that the two sides be given 24 to 48 hours at most, which is the weekend period, to discuss the practical details of implementing the decision, while the president wanted Sonko to bear part of the responsibility for the dispute by saying that he had decided to leave office by mutual consent, an option that the former prime minister rejected.

Sonko said at the time that if a discussion took place and the two sides reached an agreement, he would do so; otherwise, it would be the president's responsibility to announce the dismissal.

The president then replied that he had to visit the Archbishop of Dakar, and would return at 6 or 7 pm, and would contact him after the visit to continue the discussion, at which point the prime minister returned home.

The President of Senegal decides to announce his resignation

At 8:35 PM, the president sent a message to Sonko informing him that he could no longer hold the meeting and that he intended to announce the dismissal.

Sonko accepted this, and minutes later the Secretary General of the Presidency read the decree.

That did not pose a problem for him; rather, it was a result I had long anticipated. However, he set a rule for himself that the resignation should not come from him but from the president.

He said that this situation would remain for at least 3 days, most likely until Monday, May 25, 2026.