The Secretary General of the Pds should be relieved of his duties. The call comes from the former president of the liberal parliamentary group. Doudou Wade, who notes the physical limitations of his leader, also questions the authenticity of the documents he receives from the Pds.

Doudou Wade evokes the internal situation of the Senegalese Democratic Party (Pds). Yesterday, on “Le Grand Jury” program, he said he felt that Abdoulaye Wade could no longer lead their political party, and that a change of leadership was needed.

“Abdoulaye Wade turned 98. Senegalese democrats are worried about the stance taken by the Pds. For the past two years, our party has been questioning the authenticity of the signatures on the documents we receive« , he said. What’s more, Doudou Wade believes it’s time to relieve his leader, Lawyer Abdoulaye Wade, especially as he no longer has the capacity to do what he used to do.

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Returning to the recent upheavals in the Pds and the “resignation” of Woré Sarr as head of the National Women’s Federation, Doudou Wade reveals that she was pushed “towards the exit”. “Now, we no longer call people to come and vote, we take a note, we refer to articles that are not suitable and we nominate someone for an elective office,” he criticized, adding that Woré Sarr gave everything to the Pds. “I spoke to her on the phone and she’s deeply affected,” he maintained. However, he avoided pointing the finger at Karim Wade, pointing out that these internal upheavals are not the work of Abdoulaye Wade: “It’s not him, from a scientific point of view; it’s not him as a jurist; it’s not him as a politician,” says Doudou Wade.

“Military policy is the head of state’s domain”

As Prime Minister and leader of the Pastef party, Ousmane Sonko is currently conducting parallel diplomacy that could harm Senegal’s interests. The meeting at Dakar’s Cheikh Anta Diop University, during the visit of Jean-Luc Mélenchon, founder of La France insoumise party, on May 16, was no exception to this dynamic. What was initially intended as a scientific reflection on the rise of the Pastef party, which has become a model political party in West Africa and beyond, quickly turned into a debate on relations between Senegal and France, as well as on the issue of homosexuality. And yesterday, on Rfm’s “Le Grand Jury”, Doudou Wade, former chairman of the Senegalese Democratic Party (Pds) parliamentary group, warned Prime Minister and Pastef party chairman Ousmane Sonko. For Doudou Wade, Ousmane Sonko is not invested to talk about Senegal’s foreign policy.

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“The leader of the Pastef party is not invested to talk about our foreign policy. Foreign policy, like military policy, is the domain of the Head of State, not the Prime Minister. The only precaution the Head of State can take is that in the event of a declaration of war, he must refer to the National Assembly« , explained Doudou Wade. He added that ambassadors are accredited to the Head of State, and that the Head of State accredits ambassadors to other Heads of State, in accordance with an international rule. “This is an international rule. To do otherwise is to be abnormal« , he stressed.

Analysing the management of the State by the Diomaye-Sonko duo, Doudou Wade expressed his reservations. “We’re into things we’re not used to seeing, and when we reach a confusion of roles at the top of the State, it can lead to disaster,” he stressed. According to Doudou Wade, the Senegalese people have clearly elected Bassirou Diomaye Faye, and it’s up to Ousmane Sonko to “adapt to this new hierarchy”, by accepting to be under the orders of the President of the Republic, who defines the Nation’s policy. In the event of disagreement between the two personalities, Doudou Wade believes that the President of the Republic has only one solution: “He must go into his office, issue a decree and dismiss the Prime Minister.”

By Ousmane SOW 

  • Translation by Ndey T. SOSSEH