The only opposition candidate who accepted the election process, Kouadio Konan Bertin, spoke for nearly an hour in his constituency north of Abidjan on Tuesday, October 27, 2020.
as reported from Abidjan, François Hume-Ferkatadji
A dissident from the PDCI and a candidate under the label “independent”, “KKB” are accused by the opposition of being a “foil”, even a puppet of the RHDP, the party in power. To counterattack, he again pointed out the opposition’s ‘disagreements’, while increasing the call for calm a few days before the vote.
Following his traditional tribute and references to Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Kouadio Konan Bertin responded to his opponents, criticizing him for a convenience candidate when advocating an “active boycott” of the vote. “What happens after the 31st without election? What should we participate in? To the dog, to the disturbance, to the jungle? Yes, there are some who like it because that’s how they thrive. I have no strength, I do not know how to handle the rifle. I’m Baoulé. It must be said, Baoulé has a sacred respect for human life. ”
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“I win”
In addition to trying to seduce Baoulé voters, “KKB” also did everything to pamper Gbagbo’s supporters, recalling that he always spoke in favor of the former president’s return. He says he does not understand that Alassane Ouattara is waiting for a call from Laurent Gabgbo to speed up the reconciliation process. “But why? Why? In which Bible, in which Qur’an does it say that it is the one who is to call and not the other?”
Finally, when asked whether he is ready to accept a large ministry under a new presidency of Alassane Ouattara, he first answers positively before taking a joke: “And then I am a candidate to win. And the will wins. Rather, it is for me that you will have to ask what I am ready to do for Alassane Ouattara once I have won. “
KKB also estimated that “leaving the ballot paper is not the solution” asks its supporters to go and vote next Saturday. The candidate will hold his last meeting tomorrow in the Koumassi district of Abidjan.
► Also read: exclusive interview with Alassane Ouattara: “Difficult, even impossible, for me to be a candidate in 2025”
■ Civil society is concerned about the number of incidents during the election campaign
Intimidation, clashes between communities and violent demonstrations … A total of 149 so-called “critical” incidents have been recorded in the Indigo organization in recent weeks.
This NGO has deployed nearly 1,000 local observers across the country. Ansène Konan, coordinator of the organization, is concerned about the atmosphere, which he describes as “harmful”.
In 17% of the observed wards and localities, the political actors preferred ethnic or religious references in their speeches rather than presenting their social program. Any security or societal risk worries us, challenges us. For the political process in Côte d’Ivoire, it is not too late for us to urge each other to put the common interest above, the interests of the nation and to be able to speak honestly with each other and find solutions.
Ansene Konan
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