Pressed by his party, the RHDP to report to the October presidential elections, the ivorian president Alassane Ouattara, has finally announced that this Thursday, August 6th, the eve of the 60th anniversary of the independence of Côte d'ivoire that he will be in the race. Much to the chagrin of his opponents. After the sudden death of his dauphin, the president of côte d'ivoire, 78 years, nine of which in power, has maintained the suspense on his commitment until the end. "I am a candidate in the presidential election of 31 October," he finally said in a televised speech highly anticipated by the Ivorians on the public channel RTI going so a third term.
" At the risk that not all acquired after so much effort and sacrifices made by the entire population at risk, the risk that our country is declining in many areas, all this leads me to reconsider my position. In the Face of such force majeure and by civic duty, I decided to respond favourably to the call of my fellow citizens, asking me to be a candidate in the presidential election of 31 October 2020. So I'm a candidate, " said Alassane Ouattara.
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ADO went back to the center of the game
In power since 2011, Alassane Ouattara was, however, announced in march 2020 that he would not stand for the election in October. The change of Constitution adopted in 2016 gives him the right to his own eyes, that denies the opposition. It is to invest as a candidate Amadou Gon Coulibaly, but he died suddenly in July, and his party-the press, since to stand for a third term.
"I ask you to let me have the time of the recollection and recovery before you give a response very soon," declared Alassane Ouattara during a political council of the Rally of houphouëtistes for democracy and peace (RHDP) to Abidjan, at the end of July. "I take note of the resolution of the political council and your request ". "I'm with you (...) you know that I do you have never disappointed," he said, hinting that he will declare his candidacy at a later time. "I'll speak to the Nation and to you," promised the head of State outgoing also evoking the truce of the Eid.
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The opposition is already accounted for
Without even waiting, Henri Konan Bédié nominated candidate of the PDCI-RDA in this presidential election, said on France 24, July 29, 2020, a third term of president Ouattara would be illegal. "A 3rd term of Ouattara would be illegal and the people would be ready to oppose this application."
The political situation is tense in the Ivory Coast to three months of the presidential election, ten years after the post-electoral crisis that had left 3 000 people dead. In addition to Henri Konan Bédié, a number of candidates are already declared as Pascal Affi Nguessan, the ivorian popular Front (FPI), but also former ministers of the gbagbo camp as Marcel Amon Tanoh or Albert Mabri Toikeusse. There are also the ex-rebellion leader Guillaume Soro. Former Prime minister Alassane Ouattara, spent in the opposition last year, he lives in exile in France after a sentence of 20 years in prison by the ivorian justice for " insurrection ".
during this same day, Thursday, the election fever up a notch. In the area of the boulevard Latrille, in Cocody, supporters of former ivorian president Laurent Gbagbo have protested to denounce " its absence on the list of electors ". "The protests will continue until the names of our leaders are registered on the electoral list (...) so that they can enjoy their rights," said John Bahé, head of the youth university of the REIT. They burned tires and set of objects on the road. In front, the police disperse them with blows of tear gas in particular.
in Addition to Mr. Gbagbo, the Cojep, the party of the ex-head of the Young patriots, ivorian Charles Blé Goudé, had also denounced on Tuesday his withdrawal from the electoral list, in view of the presidential election of 31 October.
The president of the CEI, Ibrahime Coulibaly-Kuibiert, had explained on Tuesday that any person convicted of a misdemeanor or felony to a deprivation of his civic rights was striped of the electoral lists.
In November 2019, the ivorian justice has condemned, on appeal, in absentia, Laurent Gbagbo to 20 years in prison for the "turning" of the central Bank of States of West Africa during the post-electoral crisis of 2010-2011. As to Charles Blé Goudé, he was sentenced in December 2019 to 20 years in prison for crimes committed during the crisis in Côte d'ivoire.
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