The political friction between Prime Minister Al Aminou Lo and his predecessor, Ousmane Sonko, appears to have reached a critical new phase. Merely hours after the Pastef leader’s press briefing in Touba—where he sharply criticized the government’s actions and announced his support for multiple no-confidence motions in the National Assembly—the head of government chose to issue a rebuttal through a post on the social media platform X.

While not explicitly naming Ousmane Sonko, Al Aminou Lo’s message was widely interpreted as a direct response to the former Prime Minister’s statements. His post read: “To claim patriotism as the exclusive domain of any single faction is, in essence, an act of betrayal against it.” This reaction followed remarks made by Ousmane Sonko at the inauguration of Pastef’s headquarters in Touba. Addressing his party militants, the former government chief asserted that he had received information regarding statements allegedly made by Al Aminou Lo during a confidential meeting.

“Information I gathered indicated that Al Aminou Lo reportedly stated, during a confidential meeting, that his priority is now the improvement of the business climate. This signifies a desire to meet the expectations of Western investors and economic partners,” Ousmane Sonko declared. The Pastef president deemed this orientation to be a form of “sabotage” of the political direction he champions. Immediately following this, he announced the submission of a series of no-confidence motions targeting the government led by Al Aminou Lo, with the stated aim of obstructing its agenda.