The submission period for candidacies within the opposition party, the Democratic Party of Ivory Coast (PDCI), concluded on Friday evening. Five individuals are set to vie for the succession of the late former President Henri Konan Bédié, who passed away on August 1st.
This leadership transition is scheduled to take place during an extraordinary congress on December 16th, marking a significant moment for the oldest political party in Ivory Coast.
The procession of candidates spanned two days, commencing with the submission of candidacy documents by the former mayor of Plateau, Noël Akossi Bendjo, at the party headquarters in Cocody last Thursday. Subsequently, the following Friday witnessed submissions from his four contenders.
Among the candidates was the highly anticipated Tidjane Thiam, former head of Credit Suisse and Minister of Planning during Henri Konan Bédié’s presidency. The Franco-Ivorian ex-banker arrived in a celebratory atmosphere in the morning. Following suit was the flamboyant entry of Cocody Mayor Jean-Marc Yacé, accompanied by enthusiastic supporters.
The party’s Chief Executive Secretary, Maurice Kakou Guikahué, followed in a less festive ambiance, having previously laid a wreath of flowers at Henri Konan Bédié Square. In a last-minute surprise, Moïse Koumoué Koffi, former Minister of Budget under Félix Houphouët-Boigny, also made an appearance.
An electoral committee will scrutinize these candidacies in the coming days, deciding which ones will proceed to the elective congress on December 16th. At this juncture, 6,000 party members will cast their votes to elect the new president.