Lansana Gagny Sakho accuses Ousmane Sonko of failing the Republic

Once a close ally of Ousmane Sonko, Lansana Gagny Sakho now serves under President Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s Kiiraay party. In a recent interview, the APIX board chairman delivered a scathing critique of his former mentor, framing his departure from Sonko’s movement as a principled stand for institutional stability.

Lansana Gagny Sakho admitted he initially joined Sonko’s political project, drawn by the figures behind it. Yet after the government change, he refused a nomination to lead the water and sanitation sector—a role he believes would have compromised his values. “I prioritized principles over positions. That decision allowed me to leave without hesitation. From the start, I chose the Republic,” he declared.

He went further, accusing Sonko of never truly embracing the Republic. In his view, Sonko’s public remarks—including a controversial statement made during the President’s official visits to the United States and China—undermined state authority. “Such comments embarrassed the Head of State,” Sakho asserted.

For Sakho, genuine political commitment means strengthening institutions and improving governance. While acknowledging past difficulties on all sides, he highlighted progress in Senegal’s justice system as evidence of positive change.

He also addressed recent shifts at the Ministry of Justice, recalling former Justice Minister Ousmane Diagne’s claim that no one could manipulate him. Sakho suggested the minister’s removal was an attempt to install a more compliant leader to sway judges. “But the magistrates proved they are not puppets,” he insisted, emphasizing the distinction between opposition rhetoric and the realities of governance.