In a bold response to the opposition’s latest move, Ousmane Sonko, leader of the Pastef party, has labeled the constitutional council referral as a deliberate political maneuver aimed at derailing his parliamentary reinstatement.
The former Prime Minister condemned what he described as a blatant misuse of state institutions to target him, warning that such tactics would be met with all legal means permitted by the Constitution.
« They are entangled in schemes and conspiracies. The constitutional council referral follows this very pattern. Those who initiated this case knew full well that this matter falls outside the council’s jurisdiction, » Sonko declared.
Earlier, a coalition of opposition lawmakers and independents had announced their intention to challenge Sonko’s reinstatement as a deputy before the constitutional council. In a statement released on June 1, 2026, they argued that the Bureau of the National Assembly’s decision to reinstate him on May 24 contradicted constitutional provisions.
The crux of their objection revolves around Article 54 of the Constitution, which addresses conflicts between public office and parliamentary mandates. The opposition contends that Sonko, who was appointed Prime Minister before being elected as a deputy in 2024, was ineligible to hold both positions simultaneously, rendering his election invalid from the outset.