Jean-Louis Billon, current vice-president of the PDCI and former Minister of Commerce of Côte d’Ivoire, announced on Saturday morning on RFI his intention to be a presidential candidate in 2025, and positions himself against the candidacy of the former Ivorian President Henri Konan Bédié, at the head of the Democratic Party of Côte d’Ivoire for 28 years. What rekindle the tensions within the party.
With our correspondent in Abidjan, Francois Hume-Ferkatadji
Jean-Louis Billon asked for the return of the age limit to 75 for presidential candidates during his appearance on the program “Eco d’Ici Eco d’ailleurs”, broadcast on Saturday morning on RFI. He is thus targeting the dinosaurs of Ivorian politics, Alassane Ouattara, Laurent Gbagbo but also the president of his own party, Henri Konan Bédié, although none of the three men has officially applied to date. ” The political world knows no retirement, and that’s a shame! “, regrets Mr. Billon.
A position that is not shared by everyone within his party. ” For me, it is a lack of courage on his part. It’s an admission of failure, we don’t need to sort people late “, reacts the president of the young people of the PDCI, Toually Ibsen. Same point of view for Bernard Vié, vice-president of the PDCI: “ I am against any modification of the statutes. If we have to make changes to the texts so that Mr. Bédié, Ouatarra, Gbagbo is not a candidate, then it is discrimination. »
The position of Jean-Louis Billon resonates with the recent decision of the political office of the PDCI which recently appointed Henri Konan Bédié, former President of the Republic, aged 88, the sole candidate to take the helm of the party. This decision had created a stir internally, some seeing it as a future designation of Henri Konan Bédié as presidential candidate.
” Do not confuse the presidency of the party and the convention that will elect our candidate “, nuance however Bernard Vié. ” Mr. Bédié can lead and federate the party, without being the future presidential candidate “, he continues.