The speaker of Senegal‘s National Assembly, Ousmane Sonko, a powerful mentor-turned-rival to President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, won re-election Saturday as head of their party amid a political crisis sparked by their falling-out.

Sonko, who was sacked as Faye’s prime minister on May 22, easily won a leadership vote at a congress of their Pan-African Pastef party in Diamniadio, outside the capital Dakar, according to a text read out at the gathering.

Read moreSenegal’s president fires PM Sonko, dissolves government

Faye won the presidency after widely popular Sonko was barred from standing in Senegal’s 2024 election.

Sonko anointed Faye to run in his place, then served as his premier.

But after months of mounting tension between them, Faye dismissed Sonko as prime minister.

Sonko promptly won election to his current post as speaker of the National Assembly.

Read moreSenegal’s ex-PM elected National Assembly speaker despite sacking from president

The rift has triggered political upheaval for the heavily indebted west African country and uncertainty for their party, the biggest in parliament.

Faye urged against further dividing the nation in a speech on Thursday.

“No quarrel, however bitter, is worth tearing apart the country we share,” he said.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)