In a sweeping statement shared on his Facebook page, Aldiouma Sow, a key figure in the National Political Bureau (BPN) of Pastef les Patriotes, has come to the defense of party members who accepted an invitation from President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, amid escalating tensions between the head of state and his former Prime Minister, Ousmane Sonko. The move underscores a widening rift within the party as Senegal’s political landscape continues to shift.

The declaration highlights President Faye’s unwavering commitment to dialogue, framing it not as a tactical maneuver but as a deeply rooted conviction, echoing his earlier appeal for national dialogue in May 2025. « For him, dialogue is not a situational tool, » Aldiouma Sow emphasized, pointing out that the president has dedicated « entire days to dialogue » despite no constitutional, ethical, or moral obligation to do so.

Sow seized the opportunity to debunk a persistent rumor alleging a secret pact struck at the Cap Manuel prison before Diomaye Faye’s release. « Bassirou Diomaye Faye never entered into a secret pact at Cap Manuel prison, » he declared forcefully, just a day after Sonko claimed such an agreement existed. In a twist, Sow suggested that it was other candidates, not Faye, who allegedly swore oaths « with a hand on the Quran » to hand power to Sonko upon assuming the presidency.

Criticism of ‘messianic’ tendencies within Pastef

Sow’s statement also took aim at what he described as the « destructive messianism » plaguing the party since 2022. He pointed to legislative nominations that year, where long-standing Pastef members were sidelined in favor of last-minute allies, as well as local elections held around the same time. « The same pattern will repeat in the upcoming legislative and local elections, and it will spell the political demise of Pastef’s grassroots, » he warned, urging coordinators to « reject this messianic dictate. »

Addressing ministers who remained in the executive despite internal party pressures, Sow struck a defiant tone: « Be proud of your choice. They may banish you from WhatsApp and Telegram groups, exclude you from party bodies, or even suspend your membership, but no one can strip you of your commitment to the patriotic project. »

He closed by extending an olive branch to the undecided, urging them to abandon what he termed the « destructive messianic » path before it was too late: « To our brothers and sisters, cadres, and deputies who may still be swayed by this destructive messianism, you have nothing to lose by changing your minds now. »