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Bachir Mustapha Sayed has made clear his intention to succeed Brahim Ghali as the leader of the Polisario. He has resigned from his position as an advisor to the current head of the Front, according to former members of the Polisario and sources close to the matter, who spoke to Yabiladi.
This development stirred debates over the weekend in WhatsApp groups within both the Tindouf camps and major cities in the Sahara. Reactions were mixed, ranging from enthusiasm to rejection and suspicion. However, the Polisario press has remained silent, even though some media outlets had previously reported in July on Bachir Sayed's call for an «extraordinary conference» to assess the situation—a move that was supported by Oubi Bachir, who claims to represent the Front in Switzerland.
In his call, Sayed warned of the potential «disappearance of the Polisario», stressing that «the organization of three congresses has failed to rectify the situation». Under Brahim Ghali's leadership, the Polisario held its congresses in July 2016, December 2019, and the most recent one in January 2023. Sayed argued that the «extraordinary conference» he plans should aim to «drive the forces of occupation» out of the Sahara.
During the last congress, Bachir Sayed attempted to thwart Brahim Ghali's bid for a third term. Despite his efforts, Sayed's candidacy received only 563 votes (31%) compared to 1,253 votes (69%) for the current Secretary General of the Polisario.
