Guinean Sunday's elections postponed
Conakry, Guinea (PANA) - President Alpha Condé Friday evening announced a “slight postponement” of the double referendum and parliamentary elections scheduled for Sunday and boycotted by several opposition parties, an official source told PANA here.
President Condé, who was speaking to the nation in a televised address, said that the slight postponement was done to remain within the framework of the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
He said that Guinea, which since 1958, date of its accession to independence, participated in all movements for liberation in Africa, must accept certain agreements with respect to its commitments, particularly Pan-Africanism within AU and ECOWAS.
He said Guinea could not isolate itself from “its fellow brothers”, explaining therefore that the postponement was consecutive to the pressures, particularly at the ECOWAS side, including a delegation of heads of state chaired by its current chairman, Nigerien President Mahamadou Issoufou, that was expected Friday in Conakry.
“This slight postponement is not a step back. The future will show that we’ll get out this situation honorably,” he said before adding that only political parties engaged in the electoral competition would be affected.
President Condé said the constitutional court would propose a new date and called for the understanding and leniency of all those who had decided to vote on Sunday.
He said it was certain that they would not be happy with the postponement of the poll.
All along this week, the European Union (EU), UN High Commission for Human Rights, among other institutions, had appealed to President Condé to prevent the violence that could result from the organisation of the double election, boycotted by several opposition parties.
The opposition political parties and the National Front for the Defence of the Constitution (FNDC), which had since October regularly held street demonstrations, promised to do all they could to prevent the holding of the double poll.
As a result, electoral materials were burnt in Middle-Guinea, stronghold of former Prime Minister Mamadou Cellou Dalein Diallo, also leader of the Union of Guinean Democratic Forces (UFDG).
-0- PANA AC/IS/MSA/RA 28Feb2020
