Côte d'Ivoire 2020 - The zone of turbulence that threatens to set it all ablaze
After consultations between opposition parties, the civil society and associated groups CDRP/EDS/GPS/URD/LIDER/UDPCI with an aim to combine efforts in these turbulent times, the stage was set by former president Henri Konan Bedié with a stark warning. "We will not take part in an election with the candidate of high treason and perjury. Alassane Ouattara is an illegal and illegitimate candidate. Therefore, we call for civil disobedience, all over the country.
Several opposition party leaders took to the floor, including Mr Patrice Saraka of COJEP to set out the following demands:
- The withdrawal of Alassane Dramane Ouattara's candidacy.
- Dissolution of the Constitutional Council.
- Dissolution of the Electoral Commission.
- Audit of the current electoral list.
- The release of all political and military prisoners.
- The return of all the sons and daughters of Ivory Coast from exile, Including Laurent gbagbo, Charles Blé Goudé, guillaume Soro and Akossi Bendjo.
Côte d'Ivoire is now holding its breath. The stakes are high as they could be in a nation already divided by ten years of an iron grip on resources by one ethnic group.
No one can predict what will be next in the world’s top cocoa producing nation.
At least twenty people have been killed since anti-Ouattara riots broke out last month after he declared he would run following the death of his handpicked successor in July.
Last week, Ivory Coast’s Constitutional Council cleared Ouattara, former president Henri Konan Bedie and two other candidates to contest in the vote.
Published By Claude Djaquis
ivorycoasttribune.com
20/09/2020