The Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) of Côte d’Ivoire has acceded to the demands of the two main opposition parties by postponing the deadline for the official submission of candidatures for the local elections next September. Initially scheduled for Wednesday July 19, it was set for Sunday July 23. If there is indeed an electoral agreement between the PDCI and the PPA-CI, the negotiations have failed between the two formations with regard to all the communes of Abidjan.
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With our correspondent in Abidjan, Francois Hume-Ferkatadji
” We were able to conclude an alliance in 158 municipalities out of 201 “, announces Niamkey Koffi, in charge of negotiations for the Democratic Party of Côte d’Ivoire (PDCI). 133 PDCI candidates will lead the list against 25 for the African Peoples’ Party-Côte d’Ivoire (PPA-CI). Yamoussoukro, Toumodi or even Bouaké will go to the PDCI, while Bédiala, Sinfra and Issia will go to the PPA-CI.
Read alsoCôte d’Ivoire: PPA-CI and PDCI are struggling to materialize their alliance for municipal and regional authorities
Regarding the regional ones, the two formations agreed in 24 regions out of 29. No agreement therefore in Guémon, Sud-Comoé, Loh-djiboua, Goh and Agneby-Tiassa, while two two regions will have no candidate. The Nawa returns to the PDCI, while the PPA-CI pockets the Cavally.
But the main sticking point of this alliance concerns the district of Abidjan, where the main communes are located. The decision of the PDCI to remain in Yopougon would have derailed the agreement in all the other municipalities where, however, common candidates had been chosen in Treichville, Marcory, Port-Bouët and Plateau.
The opposition is therefore strongly divided in these local elections. But with the IEC’s decision to push back the deadline for submitting applications, nothing is set in stone yet. ” We’re all waiting for the latest twists “says a PPA-CI executive.