Aldiouma Sow, a prominent figure in Pastef les Patriotes’ National Political Bureau, has taken to social media to address growing tensions within the party following President Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s outreach to its members. In a detailed statement on Facebook, Sow defended the party’s decision to engage in dialogue with the head of state, amid escalating divisions between Faye and former Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko.
The BPN member emphasized that the president’s commitment to dialogue is not a temporary tactic but a core principle rooted in his earlier call for national reconciliation in May 2025. « For him, dialogue is not a situational tool, » Sow wrote, highlighting that the president spent « entire days in discussions » without any legal or ethical obligation to do so.
In a direct rebuttal to persistent rumors, Sow dismissed claims that Bassirou Diomaye Faye had struck a secret deal at Cap Manuel prison before his release. « The candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye never made a secret pact at Cap Manuel prison, » he declared, the day after Sonko alleged such an agreement existed. Sow instead suggested that it was during this period that other candidates allegedly swore oaths, « hand on the Quran, » to transfer power to Sonko upon assuming office.
Sow went further, criticizing what he described as a « destructive messianic cult » gripping the party since 2022. He pointed to legislative nominations and local elections that year, where long-standing party leaders were sidelined in favor of last-minute allies. « The same pattern will repeat in upcoming legislative and local elections, spelling political doom for Pastef’s grassroots, » he warned, urging coordinators to « reject this messianic diktat. »
Addressing ministers who remained in the government despite internal party pressure, Sow delivered a firm message: « Be proud of your choice. You may face exclusion from party WhatsApp groups or Telegram channels, but no one can strip you of your dedication to the patriotic cause. »
Concluding with an appeal to the undecided, Sow urged them to reconsider their alignment with Sonko’s divisive approach before it’s too late: « To our brothers and sisters, party officials, and deputies still tempted by this destructive messianism, you have nothing to lose by changing course now. »
