Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timi Frank, has thrown his weight behind Senegal’s Prime Minister and newly elected Speaker, Ousmane Sonko, accusing President Bassirou Diomaye Faye of betraying the reform agenda that brought his administration to power.
Frank, in a statement issued on Wednesday, said the growing political tension in Senegal was a direct consequence of what he described as President Faye’s abandonment of the revolutionary ideals championed by Sonko and the PASTEF movement.
He said millions of Senegalese youths who supported the movement in search of accountability, sovereignty and institutional reforms now feel disappointed by what they see as a gradual return to the old political order.
According to Frank, Sonko was the real architect of Senegal’s political revolution long before Faye emerged on the national scene, describing the Prime Minister as the symbol of resistance against the administration of former President Macky Sall.
The former APC spokesman said Sonko inspired a generation of young Senegalese who demanded political and economic independence, institutional reforms and freedom from foreign influence.
Frank recalled that after Sonko’s impressive performance in the 2019 presidential election, he became Senegal’s strongest opposition figure, leading to what he termed years of political persecution, controversial arrests and legal battles aimed at stopping his presidential ambition.
He maintained that despite imprisonment and eventual disqualification from the 2024 presidential election, Sonko remained loyal to the movement and mobilised supporters from detention to back Faye as the candidate to continue the PASTEF vision.
“Without Sonko’s sacrifices, political structure, popularity and influence among Senegalese youths, Bassirou Diomaye Faye would almost certainly never have become president,” Frank stated.
He added that even President Faye publicly acknowledged Sonko’s role during his inauguration by crediting him for the movement’s victory and sacrifices.
Frank, however, alleged that shortly after assuming office, the Faye administration began abandoning the ideals that inspired the movement by allegedly bringing back individuals linked to the former Macky Sall government into positions of influence.
He also accused Faye of allegedly returning Senegal to French influence contrary to the aspirations of the reform movement.
“The fight between President Faye and PM Sonko is mainly because President Faye has betrayed the trust reposed in him by the Senegalese people by taking Senegal back to the control of France,” Frank alleged.
He said many supporters of Sonko now believe the revolution they fought for is being undermined, warning that the same political establishment the movement sought to dismantle is gradually regaining power.
Frank insisted that Sonko remains the authentic face of the struggle for a new Senegal founded on economic independence, youth empowerment, institutional reforms and African self-determination.
He urged Senegalese citizens to remain resolute and continue supporting Sonko’s long-term vision for the country.
The United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) Ambassador to East Africa and the Middle East also advised Sonko to begin building stronger international alliances, especially with the United States and other global partners willing to support democratic development and economic growth without compromising Senegal’s sovereignty.
According to Frank, Senegal is presently standing at a critical crossroads between genuine reform and a return to entrenched political structures.
He warned that history would ultimately judge whether President Faye defended the revolutionary ideals that brought him to power or aligned himself with the same establishment the Senegalese people voted against.
