Audio By Carbonatix
Ivory Coast’s main presidential election challenger and a group of opposition parties called on Sunday for a civil disobedience campaign to stop President Alassane Ouattara’s bid for a third term on Oct 31.
The election is seen as one of the biggest tests of the stability of the West African nation since a disputed election led to a brief civil war in 2010-11.
Ivory Coast’s Constitutional Council has cleared Ouattara, former president Henri Konan Bedie and two other candidates to contest in the vote.
Bedie told a packed opposition PDCI party hall in Abidjan that the parties, after a meeting on Sunday, had come together to stop Ouattara’s third term bid.
“It is left to us, in light of everything that has been said here, to protect the stability of the nation,” Bedie said, adding that in the face of Ouattara’s persistence, there was only one slogan left, “civil disobedience”.
At least a dozen people have been killed since anti-Ouattara riots broke out last month after he declared he would run following the sudden death of his handpicked successor in July.
The opposition has said that Ouattara, elected in 2010 and re-elected in 2015, is violating the constitution by seeking a third term. The 78-year old president says a constitutional change means his two-term limit has been reset.
The outbreak of violence sparked memories of 2010-11, when 3,000 people died in the civil war in the country - the world’s top producer of cocoa.
Several opposition party leaders took to the floor and backed the idea of trying to stop Ouattara running again, calling for demonstrations to be held across the country.
“The political parties are demanding the withdrawal of Alassane Ouattara’s candidacy, the dissolution of the Constitutional Council, and the dissolution of the Electoral Commission, because of its subservience to the ruling RHDP party,” said Saraka Patrice, an opposition party leader.
A spokesman for the Ivory Coast government was not immediately available for comment.
Latest Stories
-
US and Iran hold talks as fears of direct conflict continue
2 minutes -
Watch: Mahama catches lady from falling at Zambia summit
23 minutes -
Kwegyir Essel: Ghana’s energy sector on the right track, but renewable expansion must prioritise affordability and grid stability
30 minutes -
Useless Column: Zongo la chichi
33 minutes -
Mahama Ayariga calls for visa-free Africa, open skies and single biometric passport
41 minutes -
Newsfile to discuss KIA renaming controversy, NPP unity test and inflation drop
44 minutes -
COCOBOD rejects claims of misuse of farmers’ funds for new vehicles
54 minutes -
Easier to tour west than Africa – Mr Eazi outlines border challenges for creatives
1 hour -
5 aspirants chase Ayawaso East NDC ticket on Saturday
1 hour -
DJ Wallpaper brings out Medikal, Kojo Blak, Kofi Mole, Lalid at Vibe Experience 2026
1 hour -
Zambian President says he will order more fugu after viral social media debate
1 hour -
We are working on solutions to pay struggling cocoa farmers – COCOBOD
1 hour -
GNFS provides tips for applicants facing login, password issues
2 hours -
Farmers decry drop in prices of maize, beans prices in Atebubu-Amantin
2 hours -
Only approved uniforms permitted for private security operators – Authority
2 hours
