Ivory Coast: Alassane Ouatarra declares candidature for October elections

Ivory Coast’s incumbent president, Alassane Ouatarra hmsays he is running for the country’s next presidential elections in October.

The politician made the declaration moments ago on his social media handle where he said his decision is a civic duty.

” I decided to respond favorably to the call of my fellow citizens asking me to be a candidate for the presidential election of October 31, 2020.
I am therefore a candidate for the presidential election” Ouatarra stated.

His decision comes weeks after the death of Ivory Coast’s ruling party’s favourite, Gon Coulibaly. It remains uncertain how Ivorians will receive the news given that he declared in a speech before lawmakers in early March 2020, that he would step down after 10 years in office.

“I have decided not to be candidate in the Oct. 31 presidential election and to transfer power to a new generation,” Ouattara said during the speech, prompting applause, cheers and gasps from audience members in the capital Yamoussoukro.

Ouatarra has been Ivory Coast’s president since 2010 after Laurent Gbagbo was overthrown.

Mimi Mefo Info