Gambiaj.com – (Paris, France) – Former mayor of Dakar, Barthélémy Dias, launched a stinging critique of both Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and President Bassirou Diomaye Faye during an interview aired on TV5 Monde’s “Journal Afrique” on Tuesday. Speaking from France, the outspoken Senegalese politician questioned the credibility and legitimacy of the current executive leadership and vowed political retaliation should Sonko attempt a parliamentary comeback.
Dias began by mocking Sonko’s recent public statements targeting President Diomaye Faye, describing them as symptomatic of what he called a “double problem” facing Senegal.
“The first problem is this Prime Minister who confuses an Irish potato with England,” said Dias, in a sharp jab at Sonko’s communication style and alleged lack of composure.
He continued, “He should stay in his place, show discipline and restraint, and respect the intelligence of Senegalese people who did not elect him.”
Dias then turned his sights on President Faye, saying that if Sonko’s criticisms were justified, the real issue may be a lack of presidential authority.
“If the Prime Minister is right, then Senegal has a problem of leadership,” he stated. “The President must honor the trust placed in him by 54% of the voters in the first round and assume the full responsibilities of his office.”
The interview also touched on Dias’s ouster from the National Assembly and as Mayor of Dakar — episodes he links directly to political maneuvering by Sonko and his allies. While Dias previously stated he would not return to Parliament, he now vows to do so under one condition: to confront Sonko.
“If Sonko seeks refuge in the National Assembly after being dismissed [as Prime Minister], I will return there—not to sit, but to remove him,” Dias declared. “We will stage a new June 23,” referencing the mass protests that reshaped Senegal’s political landscape in 2011.
“We will find him in the Assembly and expel him to remind him that Senegal is a Republic governed by laws.”
Dias concluded with a stern warning regarding his removal from the Dakar mayoralty, promising consequences for those he accuses of unlawfully seizing the city’s leadership.
“Those who hijacked the Dakar City Hall, no matter their rank or protocol, will regret it. I give you my word,” he said. “The vote of the people of Dakar was stolen, and that is a serious matter that must not go unpunished.”
The explosive remarks by Barthélémy Dias signal escalating tensions within Senegal’s political elite and set the stage for renewed confrontations as the administration of President Diomaye Faye and Prime Minister Sonko navigates internal dissent and growing opposition.
