Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has officially parted ways with his Prime Minister and former political comrade, Ousmane Sonko, on Friday, May 22, 2026. This significant political development follows months of escalating tensions between the two prominent figures, who jointly ascended to power in April 2024.
The popular rallying cry, « Diomaye Moy Sonko » (meaning « Diomaye is Sonko » in Wolof), which once symbolized their inseparable bond, has now definitively faded into history. The formidable alliance of Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Ousmane Sonko, instrumental in their ascent to the presidency amidst widespread public discontent with former President Macky Sall in April 2024, has dramatically dissolved, marking a significant moment in West Africa insider news.
Ousmane Sonko’s path to the presidential election was blocked by a defamation conviction, resulting in the forfeiture of his civil rights. Consequently, he threw his full support behind Bassirou Diomaye Faye, a move widely perceived as a strategic maneuver to maintain influence and assume leadership of the government.
Despite their twelve-year partnership within the Pastef party (Patriots of Senegal for Work, Ethics, and Fraternity), during which no public disagreements were ever apparent, the dynamic between the two men shifted drastically. Over their two years in office, the relationship between President Faye and Prime Minister Sonko steadily deteriorated, profoundly impacting Senegal’s internal Sahel politics.
