ABIDJAN – Supporters of Ivory Coast’s main opposition party were called to protest outside courts yesterday after their candidate was barred from running in the presidential election.

The government warned it would not permit any unrest and police blocked access to the courts in Abidjan, the economic capital, and Bouake, the second largest city.

On Tuesday, the Abidjan court struck Tidjane Thiam off the electoral list – a decision that cannot be appealed and rules him out of standing in the 25 October vote.

The court said Thiam (62), had lost Ivorian nationality when he acquired French citizenship in 1987.

His Democratic Party of Ivory Coast (PDCI) on Wednesday called for nationwide protests.
“There is no peace in Ivory Coast. There is a situation of tension. 

There is an anti-democratic situation. There is a denial of democracy,” said Simon Doho, leader of the PDCI parliamentary party.

Election periods are often tense in Ivory Coast, where post-election violence in 2010-2011 left around 3 000 dead.

But the last decade has seen the richest country in sub-Saharan Africa and the world’s top cocoa producer revert to stability in a region marked by coups and jihadist attacks.

In Abidjan, the PDCI had planned a march from the party headquarters to the courthouse, but police had cordoned off several roads around the party HQ and the court, an AFP journalist saw.

Around 100 PDCI supporters managed to gather in the courtyard outside the party office by mid-morning, some chanting “PDCI will live and overcome” and “Enough is enough”.

Demonstrations in Ivory Coast require authorisation from the police but this is often refused.

“Disorder will not be tolerated,” government spokesman Amadou Coulibaly said after a Cabinet meeting.
“This is not a threat,” he added. 

“We can consider it a recommendation.”
Thiam, who is currently in France, told AFP in a telephone interview on Wednesday that his party would not put up another candidate for the election.

“It’s me or no-one,” the international banker said, adding he intended to take his case to the court of the West African regional bloc, ECOWAS.

“We are going to continue to fight on the ground and to show those in power that this is a decision that is bad for Ivory Coast,” he said.

The Abidjan court based its ruling on Thiam on article 48 of the nationality code, dating from the 1960s, which states that acquiring another nationality means foregoing Ivorian citizenship.

Born in Ivory Coast, Thiam acquired French nationality in 1987 but gave it up in March to stand in the election.

“I maintain that this law has not been enforced in 64 years. Every day there are Ivorians who take another nationality for varied reasons,” Thiam said.

His supporters have condemned the ruling as “political” and aimed at barring him from the election but the ruling party says it was not involved in the decision.

Tensions began rising a few weeks ago when other political opposition figures were excluded from the presidential race.

They include former president Laurent Gbagbo, who was barred because of a criminal conviction.

The ruling party is yet to announce its presidential candidate.

A party congress set for June will decide whether incumbent Alassane Ouattara will stand again.

The 83-year-old head of state has been in power since 2011.

He has already said he is eager to “continue serving my country”. – Nampa/AFP