Opposition leaders in Ivory Coast have called for a “civilian transition” from President Alassane Ouattara’s government, as official results have shown the president taking a commanding early lead in his controversial bid to secure a third term in 31st October’s elections.
President Ouattara has won all 20 of the districts that have been announced from the vote by the electoral commission whiles results from the other 88 districts are expected to be declared before long.
The president had been expected to win re-election after his opponents called for a boycott of the vote in protest of what they call “an illegal bid to hold onto power”. Mr Ouattara however disputes this claim saying the approval of a new constitution in 2016 means he is not violating a two-term limit.
The dispute led to violence in the lead-up to the polls that killed more than 30 people. Officials have also announced that at least five more people died in clashes on Election Day in the centre of the country,
The unrest has fuelled fears of a repeat of the electoral violence that had consumed the country a decade ago. The 2010 election standoff led to months of fighting that left more than 3,000 people dead after former President, Laurent Gbagbo refused to concede defeat to Ouattara, the internationally recognised winner.
In a joint statement, opposition candidates, Henri Konan Bedie, a former president, and ex-Prime Minister, Pascal Affi N’Guessan revealed that about 30 people had died since the day of the election, without providing details.
“Opposition parties and political groups call for the start of a civilian transition,” Affi N’Guessan told reporters, urging supporters to mobilise.
He stated that they rejected the election and believed President Ouattara’s mandate was over, adding that fewer than 10 percent of people had turned up to vote, without providing evidence.
There are no official estimates yet of turnout, but a domestic observer mission reported 23 percent of polling places did not open at all because of opposition interference that included barricading roads and threatening election staff.
The governing party has warned “Affi N’Guessan and his followers against any attempt at destabilisation”.
President Ouattara had earlier announced that the election went ahead with only isolated incidents and his party added it expected him to be declared the winner.
Scattered unrest, vandalised voting materials and some closed polling stations were reported mostly in opposition strongholds during the election.
Opposition leaders had already dismissed the election as a failure and several opposition figures, including exiled former rebel leader, Guillaume Soro, announced they no longer recognised Ouattara as president.
Earlier this year, President Ouattara had said after his second term he planned to make way for a new generation, but the sudden death of his chosen successor, Prime Minister Amadou Gon Coulibaly, from a heart attack in July. prompted him to seek a third term.
“Given these exceptional circumstances, I have decided to respond favourably to the call of my fellow citizens. This decision, which I have carefully considered, is a duty which I accept in order to do what is best for the nation,” President Outtarra said when he decided to run for a third term.
