The Minister of Energy and Petroleum, Dr. Abdourahmane Diouf—a founding member of the KIIRAAY – Les Patriotes Républicains party—recently took the airwaves on *En Vérité*, a flagship program on Radio Sénégal Internationale, to deliver a scathing critique of the deepening schism within Pastef. Speaking with unfiltered candor, he dissected the escalating tensions between President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and his former ally, Ousmane Sonko, pinning the blame squarely on the party’s leadership.
According to Dr. Diouf, the rupture stems from a deliberate campaign to undermine President Faye’s authority, rendering his mandate effectively ungovernable. « The President has remained steadfast in honoring his commitments, yet it is Pastef itself—and its leader—that chose to isolate and betray him, » he declared. The minister emphasized that once betrayal was confirmed—particularly by Sonko—the Head of State had no choice but to act decisively to protect the nation’s interests. « Pastef cannot accuse others of disloyalty while engaging in the very behavior it condemns, » he argued.
Dr. Diouf extended his reproach to former government colleagues who abandoned their posts, stressing that their departure was voluntary—not imposed—and had weakened the President’s parliamentary majority. « They walked away by choice, stripping him of the support needed to implement his vision, » he noted.
Looking ahead, the minister threw his weight behind President Faye’s bid for re-election, framing it as a strategic move behind the launch of his own political party. He also lambasted Pastef’s internal inconsistencies, accusing its officials of failing to align behind their own leader while publicly preaching moral authority.