Assoa Adou (FPI): “We will go to the legislative election, in agreement with Laurent Gbagbo”

A dramatic turn in the Ivory Coast. For the first time since November 2010, in just ten years, the pro-Gbagbo FPI has agreed to take part in national elections, in this case the legislative elections, scheduled for the next three months. Why this face from Laurent Gbagbo’s party? What is the consequence for Laurent Gbagbo himself, who is still living in exile? Assoa Adou, Secretary General of the Ivorian Popular Front – pro-Gbagbo trend, online from Abidjan, answers questions from RFI.

RFI: Assoa Adou, legislative elections are planned for the next three months. How does the Ivorian people’s front attitude in relation to this election?

Assoa Adou: Our Central Committee, which met yesterday, decided to go to the legislative elections, with President Laurent Gbagbo, who encourages us and asks all his activists to mobilize so that we have very elected officials.

You told us, before the presidential election, “The Electoral Commission is not neutral.” Have you changed today?

No, no … We have not changed. The Commission is still what it is. The Constitutional Council is also in a situation that does not follow the Constitution, but in politics you must always fight.

Before these elections to Parliament, do you hope for a reform at the level of the Constitutional Council?

We ask, in agreement with our opposition partners, that is, the PDCI-RDA and all other opposition platforms, that this commission be reformed. It was a meeting on Monday with the Prime Minister and yesterday with the Minister of the Interior. But we already see that they do not want to go in the direction of a real reform.

And exactly, if you do not get what you ask for, will you still go to the legislature?

We will go to the legislative election and take all necessary measures so that our victory is not stolen from us.

You say that this decision was taken in agreement with Laurent Gbagbo, who still lives in Brussels, in Europe. Has the start of a dialogue been created between your party and the authorities?

What the government is doing is not what Laurent Gbagbo asked for. The opposition and Laurent Gbagbo have called for the lively forces of the Ivorian nation to meet around a table to redefine the new rules of the game, and this is what Ouattara and his supporters refuse. We have a slogan that says “Let’s sit down and talk”. They have an opposite slogan that says “We will crush them”, that is, we will kill them.

But still, last month, following the insistent request of the former boss ofEIvorian authorities ended up with two passes to Laurent Gbagbo.

It’s true, they delivered them, but they should even give them to Laurent Gbagbo, without his asking.

But is this not proof that there is a beginning of dialogue between you?

That’s what we thought, but we see that it’s a game they make. They will not go in the direction of relaxation, because we can give you the pass and then said: “We are not ready, wait …”

So exactly, on what date do you expect Laurent Gbagbo to return to the Ivory Coast? He wanted to come home before the end of the year.

But if it was just up to me, I would even say that Laurent Gbagbo must be here next week. So if he does not arrive now, as he himself wished, we will ask his activists, his supporters, to mobilize to demand his return.

So you are not ruling out the mobilization of your militants for that?

But we will do it. We will mobilize our activists.

In the Ivory Coast, Laurent Gbagbo is under twenty years in prison for looting BCEAO. Does this not make his return difficult?

Here on the Ivory Coast, we know who plundered. It’s not Laurent Gbagbo.

So you’re hoping for amnesty or pardon from that point of view, right?

But it’s that simple! Mr Ouattara was persecuted by President Bédié. He had an international arrest warrant against him. When Laurent Gbagbo came to power, he adopted an amnesty law to receive Mr Ouattara to the Ivory Coast, so that he could take part in national political life. We think that Laurent Gbagbo today deserves all this as well.

If Laurent Gbagbo can not return before the legislative election, are you still going to these elections?

At first I do not even think about it, because he will come home. To me, this is not a guess. He’s coming back.

And you just think that by announcing today that you are going to these elections, it will perhaps facilitate the negotiations on his return?

Normally yes. When you have an opposition that agrees to compete peacefully in the elections, you have to applaud in this Africa, where there are conflicts everywhere.

And could Laurent Gbagbo be a candidate for deputy?

It’s up to him.

But what is your view? Do you recommend him to be a candidate or not?

If he wants to become a candidate, we will mobilize for him in the riding he chooses.

And you do not rule out that Laurent Gbagbo is a candidate in the next presidential election?

(Laughs)

We’re not there yet. But if that happens, I think his supporters are there to give their opinion.

Assoa Adou, for these elections to Parliament, do you demand a large collection of all opposition parties, including your enemy brothers to the FPI in Pascal Affi Nguessan, in the legal FPI?

We have no enemy brothers. We differ in our political goals, but we are not enemies. The MACA prison, which I unfortunately know well, since I spent four years there, is overcrowded. People take turns sleeping!

And today, what do you ask of your former comrade Affi Nguessan?

But let him go! Let Affi and all other political prisoners, civilian and military, be released, and all refugees return home.

.