Abdourahmane Diouf raises concerns about state vehicles
The ongoing debate surrounding the administration of political funds at the Primature has taken a new turn. Abdourahmane Diouf, a prominent minister, recently weighed in on assertions made by Ousmane Sonko, the former Prime Minister, who had previously indicated that political funds from the Primature were utilized for vehicle acquisitions.
Diouf recounted a personal experience from his time as Minister of Higher Education. He described how his official vehicle broke down while he was en route to a national football team match, just days before a cabinet reshuffle. He highlighted the general poor condition of the government fleet at the time.
“All the cars were shaky,” he stated during an appearance on Solo Média, emphasizing the dilapidated state of the vehicles.
“Over 900 million allocated for car purchases”
According to Abdourahmane Diouf, Ousmane Sonko, then serving as Prime Minister, had at one point issued directives prohibiting the purchase of any new vehicles. This instruction, Diouf noted, stands in stark contrast to Sonko’s later statements regarding the procurement of a new fleet.
Diouf further alleged that, within the same year, Ousmane Sonko reportedly confirmed mobilizing more than 900 million FCFA for the acquisition of these automobiles. He stressed that these were not ordinary vehicles.
“These are Maybachs, luxury cars,” Diouf declared, asserting that their purchase was supposedly funded through political allocations.
Questions emerge regarding vehicle type and regulations
The minister also expressed doubts about whether administrative regulations permit the state to acquire second-hand goods. He suggested that the vehicles in question might have been assets recovered by the state through other means.
These revelations surface amidst an intense institutional and political discussion concerning the deployment of political funds and the management of special credits. At this juncture, claims regarding the substantial sum of over 900 million FCFA, the precise nature of the vehicles, and their acquisition methods are based on statements attributed to Abdourahmane Diouf. These assertions will require thorough verification against available administrative and financial records to accurately ascertain the conditions under which these purchases were made.
