AGBOVILLE: Thousands of people flocked to Agboville on Saturday to witness the announcement of Laurent Gbagbo, Ivory Coast’s former president, declaring his intention to return to office, despite being ineligible.
Supporters from across the nation gathered to hear the 78-year-old Gbagbo address issues such as “the high cost of living” in a speech that extended over two hours.
Gbagbo, who served as president from 2000 to 2011, aims to represent the African People’s Party–Cote d’Ivoire (PPA-CI). However, he faces disqualification due to a 20-year prison sentence for involvement in looting the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO) during the violent post-election crisis of 2011, which resulted in 3,000 casualties.
Despite being acquitted of human rights abuses by the International Criminal Court in 2021 and subsequently pardoned by President Alassane Ouattara in connection to the BCEAO case, Gbagbo remains excluded from electoral participation as he has not been granted amnesty.
Declaring his innocence, Gbagbo vowed to reveal documents in the following days to substantiate his claims.
Advocating for an “amnesty law” to promote peace and cohesion, Bertin Kouassi Kouadio, the federal secretary of PPA-CI in Yopougon, emphasized the necessity of legal resolution.
Gbagbo’s supporters are already gearing up for the upcoming elections, scheduled within 18 months. They marched through Agboville’s streets, chanting praises for their “president” and expressing determination to secure victory.
While Gbagbo’s popularity remains difficult to gauge, with his nearly decade-long absence during imprisonment at the ICC, his supporters remain steadfast.
The PPA-CI’s performance in the 2023 local elections was modest, winning only a few towns and facing defeats in various municipalities and regions.
Currently, Gbagbo stands as the sole heavyweight contender to have announced candidacy.
Tidjane Thiam, the leader of the main opposition party, is expected to be nominated by the Democratic Party of Cote d’Ivoire (PDCI), but President Ouattara’s candidacy for a fourth term remains uncertain.
