Ousmane Sonko addresses critics and sets the course
Amidst a wave of criticism and dissent surrounding the convocation of the National Assembly’s extraordinary session, Speaker Ousmane Sonko took the floor this Monday. He aimed to clarify the legal framework governing the proceedings, detail the extensive agenda, and dispel what he termed ‘misconceptions’. With five key legislative texts slated for review and the establishment of six investigative commissions, intense debates are anticipated, further fueled by sharp remarks from opposition figures like Thierno Alassane Sall and pointed critiques from presidential advisor Aldiouma Sow.
Five critical bills on the parliamentary agenda
Ousmane Sonko initiated the proceedings yesterday, presiding over the plenary session that marked the opening of the first extraordinary session of 2026. He challenged his detractors, asserting that the Parliament is committed to completing its work. He outlined the session’s agenda, which focuses on five significant legislative proposals. Three of these originate from the government, while two are parliamentary initiatives. Deputies are set to examine:
However, particular attention is drawn to two proposals: Bill n°33-2026, which seeks to amend Article 37 of the Constitution, and Bill n°34-2026, concerning the legal framework for special credits. These two proposals will undergo an urgent procedure at the request of their sponsors, with the precise work schedule to be determined by the Conference of Presidents.
Six parliamentary inquiry commissions in focus
Concurrently, the session is expected to ratify the establishment of six parliamentary investigative commissions. Their inquiries will target highly sensitive areas, including:
Parliamentarians also intend to shed light on irregularities within the “One Student, One Computer” program, instances of revenue shortfalls, and the administration of tax exemptions, alongside scrutinizing the conditions for the allocation and renewal of fishing licenses.
A two-speed timeline: “commissions have six months”
Regarding these commissions, Ousmane Sonko emphatically clarified their duration. “It was never stated that parliamentary inquiry commissions would convene and complete their work within fifteen days,” he asserted. In accordance with Article 55 of the internal regulations, each commission will comprise a maximum of eleven deputies, appointed proportionally among the parliamentary groups. Once the resolution is ratified in plenary by an absolute majority and without debate, the commission will elect its leadership, consisting of a president, two vice-presidents, and a rapporteur.
“They will have six months, at most, to conduct their work and submit their report to the Bureau of the National Assembly,” the Speaker emphasized, highlighting that Article 58 permits these investigations to continue even outside of regular sessions. “I felt it was necessary to provide these clarifications to prevent certain confusions,” he noted.
Earlier, the leader of the majority had responded to those who questioned the Bureau of the National Assembly’s authority to convene an extraordinary session. “Since the convocation of this extraordinary session, much information has been disseminated that does not align with reality or the truth of the texts,” he stated at the outset of his remarks, citing both the Constitution and the National Assembly’s internal regulations.
Invoking Article 7 of the latter text, he specified that a session could result from a Bureau decision, a written request from the majority of deputies, or a presidential initiative. According to the majority leader, those who argue that the Bureau is not authorized to convene an extraordinary session have fundamentally misunderstood the legal provisions.
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Thierno Alassane Sall criticizes Pastef’s stance This clarification, however, did little to temper the opposition’s fervor. Thierno Alassane Sall, a non-aligned deputy present in the hemicycle during the extraordinary session, shifted the discussion to a different pressing issue. The leader of La République des Valeurs vehemently criticized the government’s position on organizing the upcoming local elections. This followed comments made by Ousmane Sonko in Jolof, where he accused the opposition of seeking a postponement. “Everyone has witnessed the stance of the FDR. We demand timely elections. Elections must be held, and discussions with political actors are essential to understand what is causing delays. That is the essence of democracy and transparency, not to confine oneself to an office to plot maneuvers and ultimately surprise everyone,” Sall declared. Recalling the dissolution of the Assembly in 2024, the deputy denounced the lack of transparency surrounding the Constitutional Council’s opinions: “They had the answer, and I had written to the Constitutional Council asking them to make their decision public. But the seven sages refused. Sometimes, the Constitutional Council does as it pleases. This time again, the President asked them. Let them publish the decision.” He further added, dismissing the government’s accusations: “So, they shouldn’t bother us. We all agree that elections must be held on schedule.” Regarding the debate on political funds, the deputy also criticized the National Assembly’s lack of transparency. For him, Ousmane Sonko should lead by example within the institution. Political rebellion and denunciation of a “messianic governance” The offensive extended into the political arena. Via his Facebook page, Aldiouma Sow, a ministerial advisor to the President of the Republic, launched a scathing attack on the parliamentary majority, specifically highlighting the high rate of absenteeism during the session’s opening. “The 34% absenteeism today in the National Assembly signals a deep malaise within the ranks of our parliamentary majority, which has been usurped by the Messiah-imposter. We are undoubtedly witnessing the irreversible repudiation of a messianic governance of the Hemicycle, whose vital prognosis is grim. The culmination of this disavowal must be the public determination of patriotic and republican deputies, whose seats are now threatened by former ministers, Sonko-dependents, careerists recycled as technical advisors of the day, lurking in the shadows of the Messiah-imposter’s cabinet and poised to seize these seats in the event of a new legislature.” |
