Ivory Coast opposition leader resigns but vows to still fight for victory

Tidjane Thiam’s run has been halted arsenic statesmanlike candidates are not allowed to clasp dual citizenship.

Ivory Coast’s main absorption person has said helium is resigning arsenic enactment person but would inactive pb the combat to triumph the election, aft having been barred from lasting successful an October statesmanlike vote.

“In the involvement of the party, I’ve decided to spot my mandate arsenic president of the enactment successful your hands, the activists,” Thiam said successful a code published connected societal media connected Monday.

“This determination does not alteration the committedness I made successful December 2023 to personally pb our enactment to triumph successful October 2025.”

President Alassane Ouattara, 83, who has been successful powerfulness since 2011, has yet to accidental whether helium plans to tally again but has said helium is anxious to “continue serving my country”.

Tidjane Thiam’s run for the presidency of the West African state has been mired successful tussles implicit his nationality, arsenic statesmanlike candidates are not allowed to clasp dual citizenship.

Thiam was calved successful the Ivory Coast and renounced his French passport successful March to alteration his tally for the apical job. However, a tribunal successful Abidjan struck him disconnected the electoral database past month, saying the 62-year-old person had mislaid Ivorian nationality erstwhile helium acquired French citizenship successful 1987.

Thiam besides faces a ineligible lawsuit against his predetermination arsenic caput of the Democratic Party of Ivory Coast–African Democratic Rally (PDCI) aft a enactment subordinate besides contested his Ivorian nationality astatine the clip helium was chosen.

PDCI lawman president Ernest N’Koumo Mobio assumed the party’s interim enactment pursuing Thiam’s announcement. He appealed for “cohesion, serenity and discipline” and called a enactment gathering aboriginal Monday owed to “the urgency linked to the governmental situation”.

Three different absorption figures person besides been excluded from the statesmanlike race, including erstwhile President Laurent Gbagbo owed to tribunal convictions.

Thiam alleged irregularities connected Monday. “While we had the close to anticipation for inclusive, transparent and peaceful elections, it is wide that the unjustified removal of the PDCI campaigner is portion of the logic of eliminating the leaders of the main absorption parties to guarantee tailor-made elections and a definite victory,” helium said.

The authorities regularly cull claims of immoderate governmental involution successful the electoral process, saying decisions are taken by an autarkic judiciary.

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Al Jazeera and quality agencies