Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko took everyone by surprise this Saturday evening by breaking the silence on his political future. While many observers expected him to announce his resignation from the government, the leader of Pastef instead declared that a mega national meeting will be held on November 8th in Dakar. An event that his party is actively preparing for and which, according to his close associates, marks Sonko’s true return to the political scene.
Since his appointment in April 2024 as Prime Minister by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, Sonko’s political activities had been largely put on hold. The leader of Pastef, mindful of avoiding any confusion between his institutional role and his party responsibilities, had adopted a more subdued posture in public debates. But his announcement this Saturday changes the game profoundly. “On November 8th, the people will speak with one voice,” said Ousmane Sonko during his intervention, before calling on his supporters to gather massively.
While rumors of a resignation had been circulating for several days, especially in political and media circles, Ahmed Aïdara, journalist and former deputy, provided exclusive details on the situation. According to him, Ousmane Sonko held a confidential meeting with Pastef deputies at the Petit Palais to clarify his position. “He gathered them at the Petit Palais and demanded that all phones be set aside. In front of them, he was very clear: he will not resign,” reported Ahmed Aïdara.
According to the journalist, Ousmane Sonko reportedly stated that he will only leave his position in one case: if he is dismissed by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. In this scenario, he would then resume his seat as a deputy in the National Assembly, a sign of his willingness to remain active in the political arena, regardless of the context. At the very moment Ousmane Sonko was speaking with his deputies, another piece of information emerged in the news: the release of Pape Malick Ndour, a former minister and close to the previous regime. A timing that some observers find significant. “When Ousmane Sonko was talking to his deputies, the news of Pape Malick Ndour’s release came out. And yet, in the minutes, the accusations against him were particularly serious,” emphasized Ahmed Aïdara.
