Former Mauritanian president confirms "deep differences" with his successor
Nouakchott, Mauritania (PANA) - Mauritania's former president Mohamed ould Abdel Aziz (2008-2019) has confirmed "the deep differences" between him and his successor, Mohamed ould Cheikh El Ghazouani.
President El Ghazouani took over the reins of Mauritania on 1 August 2019.
Speaking at a press conference organized late Thursday at his home in Nouakchott, Abdel Aziz refuted the claim by his successor "to serve as a reference" to the Union For the Republic (UPR), the main party of the country with more than 100 deputies out of the 150 elected to the national assembly.
It was his first appearance before media after spending some months abroad and his return to the country on 16 November.
The former Mauritanian president believes that his successor's obstinacy in serving as a benchmark for the UPR constitutes "a step violating the constitution, which prohibits the President of the Republic from leading a political party."
The party has announced the holding of a congress on December 28-29.
"I will no longer be a candidate in an election. However, I remain in politics through the UPR because I returned home to save democracy," said Abdel Aziz.
On his governance for more than 10 years, in the light of several allegations relating to mismanagement discovered by the court of auditors in the last months, and of the audits in progress in all ministries, he said that he never gave illegal orders to those responsible for managing public property during his rule.
Mohamed ould Cheikh El Ghazouani and Mohamed ould Abdel Aziz are retired generals who had long military service, political commitment and a solid friendship.
In late November, to everyone's surprise, the former president boycotted the celebration of the 59th anniversary of national independence, organized in Akjoujt, capital of his region of origin.
-0- PANA SAS/TBM/KND/AR 20Dec2019
