Ivorian presidential election campaign to kick off 15 October

Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (PANA) - The presidential election campaign in Cote d’Ivoire slated for 31 October will open from 15 October to 29 October, the independent electoral commission (CEI) announced Thursday.

The CEI warned in a statement signed by its chairman, Kuibiert Ibrahime Coulibaly, that while waiting for the date of the start of the said campaign, no individual must show posters, sign, send or distribute ballot papers, circulars or statements backing a candidate outside the regulated period for the campaign.

Additionally, all electoral propaganda by any mode are banned outside the normal duration of the election campaign.

Out of 44 presidential contestants, only four were shortlisted by the Ivorian constitutional court. They are Alassane Ouattara, who is standing for a third term, former president Henri Konan Bédié, Kouadio Konan Bertin, and Affi Nguessan, leader of the Ivorian Popular Front.

The applications of former President Laurent Gbagbo, Guillaume Kigbafori Soro, and Mamadou Koulibaly to contest the presidential election were rejected.

In the past weeks, demonstrations have been held against Mr Ouattara’s candidacy in several parts of the country.

Soro had announced in France that he would contest the rejection of his candidacy.

-0-     PANA     TNDD/BEH/MSA/RA   17Sept2020