OUATTARA WINS 4TH TERM IN BOYCOTTED IVORY COAST VOTE

 By Osei Nathanael 

President Alassane Ouattara was declared the winner of Ivory Coast's presidential election on Monday, securing a controversial fourth term with 92.6% of the vote in a contest boycotted by the country's leading opposition figures.

The Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) announced the results in the commercial capital Abidjan, confirming Ouattara's landslide victory 

Image: President Alassane Ouattara

after a campaign period marked by opposition calls for electoral reform and accusations of constitutional overreach.

"These results reflect the Ivorian people's confidence in President Ouattara's leadership," said CEI president Ibrahime Coulibaly-Kuibiert at a press conference. Turnout was reported at 53.2%, down from 54% in the 2020 election.

The election proceeded without the participation of former presidents Laurent Gbagbo and Henri Konan Bédié, both of whom cited concerns over the constitutional court's composition and candidate eligibility rules. Gbagbo's African People's Party (PPA-CI) and Bédié's Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire (PDCI) urged supporters to abstain, describing the process as "neither free nor fair."

Ouattara, 83, first came to power in 2010 following a disputed election that triggered months of violence. His decision to seek a fourth term followed a 2016 constitutional referendum that reset term limits, a move critics argue was designed to extend his rule beyond the previous two-term restriction.

"This victory belongs to all Ivorians who believe in progress and stability," Ouattara told supporters at his campaign headquarters in the Plateau district. The president highlighted his administration's infrastructure projects and economic growth, pointing to GDP expansion averaging 7% annually before the COVID-19 pandemic.

The election day itself passed largely peacefully, with international observers noting improved security compared to the 2020 vote that saw deadly clashes. The African Union delegation praised the "orderly conduct" while calling for "inclusive dialogue" in the post-election period.

As Ouattara prepares for inauguration in December, the opposition has signaled plans for legal challenges and continued protests. The coming months will test whether the president's promise of "a new era of inclusive governance" can heal the divisions exposed by this election.

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