IVORY COAST President Alassane Ouattara Has Secured A Fourth Consecutive Term In Office After Winning 89.77 Percent Of The Vote, According To Preliminary Results Announced On Sunday By The Independent Electoral Commission (CEI).
The Election, Held On Saturday, Saw Nearly Nine Million Registered Voters Eligible To Cast Their Ballots, Although The Main Opposition Figures Were Excluded From The Race.
Former President Laurent Gbagbo Was Barred From Running Due To A Criminal Conviction, While Former Credit Suisse CEO Tidjane Thiam Was Disqualified Because Of His French Citizenship. With Leading Rivals Sidelined, The Remaining Four Candidates Lacked Strong Political Or Financial Backing, Leaving Ouattara With Little Serious Competition.
Among The Other Contenders, Former Trade Minister Jean-Louis Billon, Who Congratulated Ouattara Early On Sunday, Garnered 3.09 Percent Of The Vote, While Simone Gbagbo, The Ex-First Lady, Received 2.42 Percent. The Voter Turnout Stood At Approximately 50 Percent, A Rate Similar To The 2010 And 2015 Presidential Elections But Significantly Lower Than The 80 Percent Turnout Recorded During The First Round Of The 2010 Polls.
Correspondent Ahmed Idris, Ouattara’s Landslide Victory Was Largely Driven By The Absence Of Major Opposition Candidates And Low Voter Enthusiasm. While Supporters Hailed The Win As A Sign Of Political Stability, Critics Have Raised Concerns About Democratic Pluralism And The Concentration Of Power In West Africa’s Fastest-Growing Economy.
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