Ivory Coast President to seek a 4th term after disqualification of rivals

President of Ivory Coast, Alassane Ouattara has announced his candidacy for a fourth term in the upcoming October general elections.

Alassane, who is now 83 years old, made his decision known through a statement stating his health and the constitution of the country allowed him to stand for a new term in office.

His bid to run is based on the need to “preserve national stability amid ongoing security and economic challenges”.

Several contenders, including former President Laurent Gbagbo, ex-Prime Minister Guillaume Soro, and former minister Tidjane Thiam, have been excluded from the elections, giving Outtara a competitive edge.

According to reports on Tuesday, Tidjane Thiam and other opposition leaders described Outtara’s bid as an attack on democracy.

“Today’s announcement by Mr. Ouattara constitutes a violation of our Constitution and a new attack on democracy,” Thiam said in a statement.

“The Ivorian people will continue to make their voices heard and show the world what we think of this situation.”

Alongside Ouattara’s announcement, authorities banned a peaceful protest that was scheduled for August 7.

The protest was organized by opposition groups to demand the reinstatement of the disqualified candidates and also an independent audit of the voter list.

Recently, Ivory Coast has been marred by widespread disappointment in the country’s political foundations.

President Alassane has been serving as President of Ivory Coast since December 4, 2010, which makes him the longest ruler with 14 years. He is now hoping for a fourth term with a country whose economy has grown by more than 6%.

With more than 8.7 million registered voters, several disqualified candidates, the country is up for a crucial election that could make or change their political landscape.