Dakar — Ousmane Sonko, leader of the Pastef party, has strongly condemned a move by opposition parliamentarians and independents seeking to overturn his reinstatement as a member of the National Assembly. The legal action, filed with the Constitutional Council, was described by Sonko as a politically motivated plot designed to block his political ambitions.
« This is nothing short of political scheming, » Sonko declared. « The Constitutional Council was never intended to be a tool for settling personal or partisan scores. Those behind this challenge knew full well that their case falls outside the Council’s jurisdiction. »
He warned that any attempt to misuse state institutions against him would be met with a robust constitutional and legal response.
« If they resort to state power to attack us, we will deploy every legal instrument granted by the Constitution to defend our rights, » he stated firmly.
Opposition lawmakers and independents announced on June 1, 2026, that they had filed a petition with the Constitutional Council to invalidate the National Assembly’s May 24 decision reinstating Sonko as a deputy. Their argument hinges on the claim that his prior appointment as Prime Minister and subsequent election as a deputy in 2024 created an irreconcilable conflict of interest under Article 54 of the Constitution.
The opposition contends that Sonko’s parliamentary eligibility was compromised from the moment he assumed office as Prime Minister, making his election invalid. Their challenge reflects a broader struggle over the interpretation of institutional roles and the boundaries of political participation in Senegal.
