In Côte d’Ivoire, just over a month before the presidential election, the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) announced on Tuesday 29 September that it had drawn up its final electoral roll on 24 September. The country now has 7.5 million voters. Aiming for group breaks from the opposition, the institution intends to continue its march towards the presidential election on 31 October despite criticism and ultimatums.
The numbers on the final electoral roll confirm this: Ivorians have registered in numbers this year. There are 907,000 more voters or almost 7.5 million registered in total. Up 13.6% compared to the previous revision of the voter list. The next step for IEC is the distribution of voter cards.
“The Independent Electoral Commission is inevitably heading towards the date of 31 October 2020, the constitutional date for the election of the President of the Republic in strict accordance with its provisional timetable,” explained Émile Ebrottié, spokesperson for CEI.
Accusations of patiality
However, the CIS sails in rough seas. Since the publication of the preliminary electoral roll in August, the opposition has called for its international review. The opposition did not take part in the renewal of the local commission offices. On September 17, the PDCI even refused at the last minute to send its representative to the Central Commission. And Pascal Affi N’Guessan was able to announce his departure on Wednesday.
For opponents of Alassane Ouattara’s candidacy for a third term, The IEC is biased. They demand that it be dissolved, as the Constitutional Council. In short, a number of institutional demands that would mean a postponement of the vote. What the Ouattara camp will not hear about.
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