Bentaleb Sow Finally Lets Go of Diomaye: “Why I Resigned from the Presidency”

In a letter, the now former special advisor to the President discusses several disagreements. Bentaleb Sow is no longer the special advisor to the Head of State. He resigned from his position, citing the new political directions taken by the Head of State.

Better or worse, Bentaleb Sow denounces the fact that, according to him, politics has taken precedence over work at a time when Senegal is struggling to recover from the "debt crisis." According to him, several red lines have been crossed. But the last straw, he claims, is the announced meeting today between President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and his predecessor, Macky Sall.

Even though he says he respects the President's right to choose his direction, allies, and method, Bentaleb Sow finds it inconsistent to remain by his side to combat what he considers the practices of the "old system," while seeing Bassirou Diomaye Faye and actors he associates with that same system getting closer. He refuses to be the advisor who would criticize his President on social media while keeping his title and benefits. His conscience, he asserts, comes before his interest. Hence, in his view, the choice to leave for honor rather than stay for interest. ...