- Title: Ivory Coast ruling party may ask president to stand again after PM death
- Date: 9th July 2020
- Summary: ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST (JULY 9, 2020) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF MEMBERS OF THE RALLY OF HOUPHOUËTISTS FOR DEMOCRACY AND PEACE (RHDP) POLITICAL PARTY SAT DOWN FOR FORMAL MEETING RHDP'S EXECUTIVE SECRETARY ADAMA BICTOGO PREPARING MICROPHONE BICTOGO SPEAKING DURING MEETING (SOUNDBITE) (French) RHDP'S EXECUTIVE SECRETARY, ADAMA BICTOGO, SAYING: "It is clear that for the moment if we remember his (Ouattara) speech in Katiola, he did not rule it out in case. Today the situation is different, the situation is caused by a death, it's a case of force majeure and it is clear that we have to revisit the analysis that he did back then. As a party we will let him know the party's position. After this painful event, the party will will start its analysis and according to that if the option is him (President Alassane Outtara) or another candidate, the party will let him know." VARIOUS OF TRAFFIC IN ABIDJAN'S BUSINESS CENTRE POLITICAL ANALYST JULIEN KOUAHO SPEAKING TO JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (French) POLITICAL ANALYST, JULIEN KOUAHO, SAYING: "The death of Prime Minister Amadou Gon Coulibaly is an uncomfortable political situation for the president's party because they have to find a new candidate of the same stature of the deceased pm because on the opposing side, the Ivory Coast Democratic Party, the PDCI RDA, is putting forward Mister Henri Konan Bédié, former head of state, first rate politician in Ivory Coast who will have from what it looks like the support of the FPI (Ivorian Popular Front), party of Laurent Gbagbo. In other words the political casting for the RHDP will be extremely difficult." VARIOUS OF REPUBLIC SQUARE IN ABIDJAN WITHOUT FLAGS (SOUNDBITE) (French) POLITICAL ANALYST, JULIEN KOUAHO, SAYING: "Who will be the best candidate? Mister the Minister of Defence Hamed Bakayoko, the president of the national assembly Mister Amadou Soumahoro have the best profiles but we have to be careful, the political scene in Ivory Coast is full of surprises, will Mister Alassane Ouattara change his mind about not running so he can give an advantage to his political party to win the 2020 elections?" VARIOUS OF TRAFFIC IN ABIDJAN'S BUSINESS CENTRE
- Embargoed: 23rd July 2020 20:35
- Keywords: Amadou Gon Coulibaly dead ivory coast presidential elections prime minsuter rhdp
- Location: ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST
- City: ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST
- Country: Ivory Coast
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001CM39YYV
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Ivory Coast's ruling party may ask President Alassane Ouattara to rethink his decision not to stand for a third term, after the sudden death of his chosen successor, Prime Minister Amadou Gon Coulibaly, a party official said on Thursday (July 9).
Ouattara announced in March that he would not run in an election in October after 10 years in office, and designated Gon Coulibaly, his closest political ally, as the RHDP party's candidate.
Gon Coulibaly's death on Wednesday (July 8), less than a week after he returned to Ivory Coast from an extended medical leave in France for heart issues, left the RHDP scrambling to choose a replacement candidate.
RHDP Executive Secretary Adama Bictogo told journalists the party could ask Ouattara to reverse his decision not to stand.
"It is clear that for the moment if we remember his (Ouattara) speech in Katiola, he did not rule it out in case. Today the situation is different, the situation is caused by a death" Bictogo said. "The context is new," he said, adding that all options were on the table.
Ouattara has previously said he would prefer to hand over power to a new generation, although he also says he has the right to run again under a new constitution adopted in 2016.
(Production: Media Coulibaly, Christophe Van Der Perre, Aiden Nulty) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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