Ivory Coast court removes main opposition leader from electoral list

By James Tasamba

KIGALI, Rwanda (AA) – A court in Ivory Coast ordered the removal Tuesday of the main opposition leader from the electoral roll, declaring him ineligible to stand in October's presidential election.

The Court of First Instance of Abidjan-Plateau said Tidjane Thiam, the president of the opposition Democratic Party of Ivory Coast (PDCI), forfeited his Ivory Coast nationality when he acquired French citizenship in 1987.

The decision came a week after his party had endorsed him as their candidate in the presidential election scheduled for Oct. 25.

Thiam strongly denounced the verdict, terming it as “unfair, unjustified and incomprehensible.”

He accused activists of the ruling RHDP party of being behind a “political decision” disguised as a judicial procedure.

The RHDP is yet to announce its candidate for the next election, but incumbent President Alassane Ouattara is expected to seek re-election for a third term.

Former President Laurent Gbagbo, and three other prominent politicians have been barred from running.

Thiam, a former Credit Suisse chief executive, served as planning minister in 1998 in the previous PDCI government before it was overthrown in a coup the following year.