Following the National Assembly’s approval of the proposed constitutional revision, Ousmane Sonko meticulously detailed the reform process, subsequently pinpointing the Head of State’s direct involvement in the surrounding controversies. “Any alleged manipulation stems directly from the President of the Republic. He selectively reviewed the text, favoring provisions that suited him while discarding others. The Constitution, Sonko emphasized, is not the personal property of Bassirou Diomaye Faye,” he declared.

The President of the National Assembly elaborated on his assertions, highlighting specific provisions he accuses the Head of State of having removed. These include the mandatory declaration of assets at the end of a presidential term and the prohibition against the President of the Republic simultaneously leading a political party. He then questioned the very premise of such actions: “By what authority can a single individual arbitrarily cherry-pick provisions that align with their interests while rejecting others? This is utterly unacceptable!” he vehemently stated.

Sonko was keen to underscore the established hierarchy of constitutional powers, explicitly denying the President of the Republic the status of a constituent authority. “The President is not a constituent power,” he asserted. “The derived constituent power resides with the National Assembly, while the original constituent power belongs to the people, exercised when they are summoned via a referendum.”