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Four Ivory Coast opposition figures barred from October presidential election

Four major opposition figures will be unable to contest Ivory Coast's October presidential election, the country's electoral commission announced Wednesday, having been struck from the final voter list. 

© Sia Kambou, AFP

© Sia Kambou, AFP

Four prominent opposition figures in Ivory Coast have been excluded from the final voter list and are ineligible to contest the October presidential election, the electoral commission announced Wednesday.

Tidjane Thiam, the leader of Ivory Coast's main opposition party, the Democratic Party of Ivory Coast (PDCI), was struck from the voter roll in April after a court ruling cast doubt on his Ivorian nationality at the time of registration.

The Abidjan court based its ruling 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.

Thiam has "appealed to the UN Human Rights Committee," the PDCI said in a statement.

Ivorian court orders opposition leader Thiam off presidential ballot
 
© France 24
 

"My removal from the electoral roll by the Independent Electoral Commission is a sad but telling example of Ivory Coast's abandonment of democracy," Thiam said in a statement to Reuters.

"We will fight, fight for democracy and peace in our country," said Simon Doho, president of the PDCI parliamentary group.

Former president Laurent Gbagbo, his former right-hand man Charles Blé Goudé and and exiled former prime minister Guillaume Soro have been barred for years over past convictions and were not reinstated.

None of the four will be allowed to contest the presidential race or vote.

Electoral commission head Ibrahime Kuibiert Coulibaly said Monday the voter list would not be revised before the 25 October election.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP and Reuters)

Author: Editors Desk

Source: France 24

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