AFRICA/IVORY COAST - Presidential election: Opposition wants to challenge outgoing president's victory

Tuesday, 3 November 2020 elections   violence  

Abidjan (Agenzia Fides) - The Independent Electoral Commission of Ivory Coast today announced the victory of outgoing President, Alassane Ouattara with 94% of the votes in the October 31 elections and a turnout of 53.9%. The opposition does not want to recognize the results and has already announced the creation of a "National Transitional Council".
Indeed, the election was marked by violent protests in different parts of the country. In particular in the cities of Yamoussoukro (political capital) and Abidjan, in the municipalities of Cocody in the district of Blockhaus, also in Bingerville and Anyama, where polling stations were looted. The riots resulted in deaths and considerable material damage.
At the Andokoi 1 center in the municipality of Yopougon, voting ballot was relatively calm, general supervisor, Diarra Zénéka told us: "from 8 in the morning everything went well, voters came in large numbers with the intention of doing their civic duty, but there were moments of tension because some voters wanted to take part in the elections without their electoral ID and valid ID, but thank God the police intervened to restore calm. "In this center made up of 7 polling stations", the turnout was just over 80%", says Diarra Zénéka.
At the center of the Sainte Marie de Cocody high school, in eastern Abidjan, outgoing president, Alassane Ouattara, cast his vote in the late morning. "I have just fulfilled my civic duty and I ask all my fellow citizens who love peace and patriotism to go and vote", said Alassane Ouattara after the vote. The outgoing Head of State, addressing the opposition, launched an appeal for calm: "I appeal to those who have launched slogans of civil disobedience, to stop because the Ivory Coast needs peace" while violent demonstrations were underway in some parts of the country.
The Independent Electoral Commission, CEI, revealed earlier this week that just over 3 million voters withdrew their voting cards out of the 7.5 million registered on the 2020 electoral roll.
Out of 4 candidates selected by the Constitutional Council, only outgoing candidate Alassane Ouattara and Konan Kouassi Bertin took part in the election campaign, while Henri Konan Bédié and Pascal Affi N’Guessan abstained. (S.S.) (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 3/11/2020)


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