Political funds of the Presidency and Prime Minister’s Office: Judge Dème dismissed by the Supreme Court

The former magistrate, Ibrahima Hamidou Dème, relying on the access to information law, had referred the matter to the second administrative chamber of the Supreme Court during the month of April 2026. He asked the court to order the Prime Minister, Ousmane Sonko, and the Minister of Finance and Budget, Cheikh Diba, to communicate the exact amount of special funds, commonly called political funds, entered in the state budget on behalf of the President of the Republic, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, and the head of government. The court, ruling Wednesday, rejected the judge’s request based on two grounds.

On the one hand, she considers that in this case, “judge” Dème does not demonstrate the existence of property rights whose protection would require the communication of the requested information.
On the other hand, it considers that referral for opinion to the National Commission for Access to Information constitutes a mandatory prerequisite to the exercise of a contentious appeal.

Aliou DIOUF