Ivory Coast opposition leader given poll blow over electoral roll

Opposition

Abidjan – The leader of Ivory Coast’s main opposition party suffered a blow to his presidential hopes on Thursday as the head of the electoral commission said it would not be updating the electoral roll, from which he has been barred, before October’s polls.

Tidjane Thiam cannot stand in the October 25 election against veteran President Alassane Ouattara because he was struck off the electoral roll in April over a question of his nationality at the time of his registration.

Although he has since had his nationality restored, Thiam could stand in the election only if the electoral commission updates its electoral roll beforehand, which its president has now ruled out.

“It is impossible to update the electoral roll before the end of the year,” Ibrahime Coulibaly-Kuibiert said, claiming that there was not sufficient time to do so given the need to also organise legislative elections before December 31.

He proposed a date of December 27 for those.

The electoral roll was last updated at the end of last year, when around a million new names were included.

Thiaw is not the only opposition leader barred from running in the elections.

Ex-president Laurent Gbagbo, his former right-hand man Charles Ble Goude and exiled former prime minister Guillaume Soro have been barred for years over past convictions.

Amid tensions, the opposition is demanding a dialogue with the government to ensure their reinstatement.

Ouattara, 83, announced in July that he would be standing for a potential fourth term.

 

Article written by