Gambiaj.com – (DAKAR, Senegal) – Tensions within Senegal’s ruling PASTEF party have now spilled into the open, with senior members publicly warning this week that a breakup is the most probable outcome to sanction the deteriorating relationship between President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko. The possibility of a split, long whispered within the party, is now being openly debated by party figures who warn that the movement’s unity is at stake.
In a widely circulated social media post, Professor Aly Khoudia Diaw, a sociologist and influential PASTEF member, said the party could be heading toward a “split” if the two leaders fail to resolve their disagreements.
He urged transparency from the party’s leadership and called for honesty regarding what he termed the “Initial Agreements” between Faye and Sonko.
“After a period of observation, it is clear that there is a fundamental problem,” Diaw wrote. “There is indeed a problem regarding the amount of time that President Bassirou Diomaye Faye was supposed to spend in the presidency of the republic.”
Calls for Honesty About Pre-Election Deals
Professor Diaw insisted that the root of the dispute lies not in public speculation but in the private commitments made between the two men before the 2024 elections, during which Sonko was barred from running and Faye emerged as the party’s standard-bearer.
“I urge you to return to the audio recordings of President Ousmane Sonko, especially the part where he calls El Malick Ndiaye as a witness,” Diaw stated. “That is where the explanation for everything that follows lies.”
Diaw criticized the party’s National Political Bureau for issuing a statement that, in his view, appeared to portray Sonko as weakened. “The party owes its members a duty of truth,” he said. “We were disappointed by the statement, so let’s be courageous and face things head-on.”
A Warning of a Potential Breakup
In a striking conclusion to his message, Diaw said PASTEF must be psychologically prepared for a possible split if mediation efforts fail.
“If the two brothers can no longer reach an agreement and find a solution that meets the expectations of the party and the Senegalese people, then we must prepare for a separation. It wouldn’t be the first time,” he cautioned.
MP Cheikh Bara Ndiaye Alleges Political Maneuvering
Adding fuel to the debate, PASTEF MP Cheikh Bara Ndiaye publicly disclosed details he says explain the rift. According to him, President Faye “wants to wage war against Ousmane Sonko,” alleging that the appointment of former prime minister Mimi Touré as head of the presidential coalition was part of a strategy to counter Sonko’s influence.
Ndiaye claimed that Touré provided Faye with a list of individuals to be appointed to government and public institutions—appointments Sonko later rejected.
“He told the president that these people will never be appointed,” the MP said.
Mediation Underway as Hopes Rise for Reconciliation
Despite the stark warnings, attempts to mend the divide continue. Members of PASTEF were received at the Presidential Palace in recent days, and Ousmane Abdoulaye Barro, chief of staff to President Faye, suggested that tensions may be easing.
“The only thing I can say is that things are moving in the right direction. God bless Sonko and Diomaye!” Barro said, offering a rare note of optimism.
As the ruling party navigates its most serious internal crisis since taking power, Senegalese citizens and political observers are watching closely. Whether PASTEF emerges strengthened or fractured may shape the country’s political trajectory for years to come.
