PRESIDENT OUATTARA ANNOUNCES FOURTH TERM BID IN IVORY COAST PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara has announced he will run for a fourth term in the upcoming presidential election, amid growing political tensions over the exclusion of key opposition figures. Although his ruling party, the Rally of Houphouetists for Democracy and Peace (RHDP), had already officially nominated him, Ouattara had not confirmed his candidacy until now. The 83-year-old president made the announcement during a televised address on Tuesday, positioning himself as the leading contender in the October 25 vote, with many prominent opposition candidates disqualified. “For several months, I have received numerous calls from fellow citizens urging me to run,” Ouatara said, referring to public appeals from people across Cote d’Ivoire. “Women and youth from all regions, and countless anonymous voices from our cities, towns, and villages, have encouraged me to act in the nation’s best interest.”

Ouattara who has been in power since 2011, secured a controversial third term in 2020 after a constitutional change reset term limits. He had previously promised not to run again but reversed course following the sudden death of his chosen successor, Prime Minister Amadou Gon Coulibaly. His critics accuse him of consolidating power, while the government maintains that the judiciary operates independently. The political landscape is further complicated by the exclusion of several major opposition figures. The two largest opposition parties, the African People’s Party of Ivory Coast (PPA-CI), led by former president Laurent Gbagbo, and the Democratic Party of Ivory Coast(PDCI), headed by ex-international banker Tidjane Thiam, have joined forces to determine the reinstatement of their disqualified leaders.

Gbagbo, Charles Ble Goude, and former Prime Minister Guillaume Soro were removed from the electoral register due to prior criminal convictions. Thiam, regarded as Ouattara’s most formidable challenger, was barred by court for holding French citizenship when he declared his candidacy, even though he later renounced it. Ivorian law prohibits dual nationals from seeking the presidency. Past elections in Ivory Coast have often been marred by unrest. Ouattara’s 2020 reelection bid sparked violent protests that resulted in multiple deaths. Demonstrations have also erupted over Thiam’s disqualification. Ouattara’s move mirrors a broader trend in West Africa, where several leaders have altered term limits to stay in power. This pattern has contributed to political instability including military coups that have fractured the regional bloc ECOWAS, with junta leaders citing corruption and manipulated democratic processes as justification for seizing power.