New Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye on Tuesday appointed firebrand politician and key backer Ousmane Sonko as prime minister in his first act as president.

Sonko, an opponent of former President Macky Sall, is popular among the West African nation's youth but was barred from the March 24 presidential election due to a defamation conviction. He denied any wrongdoing.

"Mr Ousmane Sonko is named prime minister," said Oumar Samba Ba, the general secretary of the presidency, as he read out a decree on the public television station RTS.

Sonko, 49, was at the centre of a two-year stand-off with the state that triggered bouts of deadly unrest. He was disqualified from running in the most recent race and picked Faye as his replacement on the presidential ballot.

'Diomaye is Sonko'

Campaigning jointly under the slogan "Diomaye is Sonko," Sonko urged supporters to vote for Faye, who ultimately won with over 54% of the vote in the first round.

Faye was inaugurated on Tuesday.

Speaking after his appointment, Sonko said he would present Faye with a full list of proposed ministerial appointments for his approval.

"There will be no question of leaving him (Faye) alone to assume this heavy responsibility", Sonko said.

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