Ivory Coast president Alassane Ouattara announced he will run for his fourth term in October elections.
The 83-year-old said in a statement that his health is not a problem and that his candidacy is driven by the need to “keep the country stable in ongoing security and economic challenges.”
Ouattara believes that a new constitution approved in 2016 resets his two restrictions, meaning he is allowed to stand.
He will be the leader in polls as several potential challengers have been banned from the competition.
Candidates excluded include former President Laurent Gbagbo, former Prime Minister Guillaume Soro and former Minister Tidjane Thiam.
On Tuesday, Thiam and other opposition leaders quickly condemned Ouattara’s decision.
“The announcement announced by Mr. Ouattara today constitutes a new attack on our violation of our Constitution and on democracy,” Thiam said in a statement.
“The Ivorians will continue to express their voices and show the world how we think of this situation.”
On the same day, Ouattara announced his bid, and authorities banned a planned peaceful protest on August 7.
The demonstration was organized by opposition groups to demand the restoration of unqualified presidential candidates and independent audits of voter lists.
Former banker Ouattara hopes his trail leads him to a victory in October – the Ivory Coast’s economy has grown by more than 6% for four consecutive years.
However, the country is currently causing widespread disillusionment to the country’s political institutions.
The current tensions over opposition candidates have evoked memories of past election violence, including the 2010-2011 conflict, killing more than 3,000 people and unrest caused by Ouattara’s controversial third-term bid in 2020.
More than 8.7 million Averians registered to vote. Civil society groups and religious leaders, including the Catholic Bishops’ Conference, expressed shock at the country’s increasing political polarization.
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