Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Comrade Timi Frank, has thrown his weight behind Senegalese political leader Ousmane Sonko amid the growing political tension in Senegal, accusing President Bassirou Diomaye Faye of abandoning the reform agenda that brought his administration to power.
Frank made the allegation in a statement issued on Wednesday, where he described the ongoing political crisis in Senegal as a betrayal of the revolutionary ideals championed by Sonko and the PASTEF movement.
According to him, many Senegalese youths who supported the movement in pursuit of accountability, institutional reforms and economic sovereignty were becoming disappointed over what he termed a gradual return to the old political order.
The former APC spokesman stated that Sonko played a defining role in reshaping Senegal’s political landscape before Faye emerged as president, noting that the former prime minister became a symbol of resistance against the administration of former President Macky Sall.
Frank said Sonko inspired a generation of young Senegalese clamouring for political independence, economic reforms and reduced foreign influence in the country’s affairs.
He recalled that following Sonko’s strong outing in the 2019 presidential election, the politician became the country’s leading opposition figure and subsequently faced what he described as political persecution, arrests and legal battles allegedly aimed at preventing his presidential ambition.
According to Frank, despite his imprisonment and eventual disqualification from contesting the 2024 election, Sonko remained loyal to the PASTEF movement and mobilised supporters to back Faye as the candidate to continue the movement’s vision.
“Without Sonko’s sacrifices, popularity and political structure, Bassirou Diomaye Faye would most likely not have become president,” Frank stated.
He added that President Faye had publicly acknowledged Sonko’s role during his inauguration by crediting him for the success of the movement.
Frank, however, alleged that shortly after assuming office, the Faye administration began deviating from the principles that inspired the movement, particularly through the alleged return of individuals linked to the former administration into positions of influence.
He also accused the Senegalese president of allegedly returning the country to the influence of France, contrary to the aspirations of the reform movement.
According to him, many supporters of Sonko now see the development as a betrayal of the struggle they fought for and fear that the political establishment they opposed is gradually regaining control.
Frank maintained that Sonko remained the authentic symbol of the struggle for a new Senegal founded on economic independence, youth empowerment and institutional reforms.
The politician urged Senegalese citizens to remain resolute and continue supporting Sonko’s leadership and political vision.
Frank, who is also the Ambassador of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua to East Africa and the Middle East, advised Sonko to build broader international alliances, especially with countries willing to support democratic development without undermining Senegal’s sovereignty.
He warned that history would ultimately judge whether President Faye upheld the ideals that brought him to power or aligned with the political establishment the Senegalese people sought to reject.
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