Ivory Coast President Gets Approved To Run For Third Term

Posted by: Kyeyune Andrew Jonathan in Africa Politics September 15, 2020

The constitutional council of Ivory Coast cleared President Alassane Ouattara to seek a 3rd term in next month’s elections. The incumbent faces the main challenge from Henri Konan Bedie and two others selected out of the 44 presidential hopefuls.

Opposition activists staged sporadic protests in the country since last month when Ouattara announced seeking reelection. His critics say the country’s constitution only allows two terms. However, the ruling Rally of Houphouetists for Democracy and Peace argues that the constitution adopted in 2016 resets the clock.

‘’A judicial debate took place in a transparent manner. The Constitutional Council of Ivory coast has settled the debate and I think Ivorians will do well to comply with this decision, to respect the decision and the authority from which it came,’’ Ouattara’s lawyer, Abdoulaye Ben Meite said.

Ouattara, 78, said early this year he would step down and hand over to a younger generation of leaders. He had a successor, Amadou Gon Coulibaly, ready to take over after he resigned. However, the sudden death of Amadou in July reversed his course saying he would run again ‘’because of the challenges we face to maintain peace.’’

Guillaume Soro, one of the four presidential aspirants has lived in France since December. He said he will announce on September 17 the steps he will take to ensure that democracy prevails. He was convicted in absentia in April 2020 of embezzlement and money laundering.

That and other convictions forced the electoral commission to remove him from the voter’s register. The commission also ultimately disqualified him from running for office.

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