The African People’s Party – Ivory Coast (PPA-CI) is convening this Friday, May 10, to formally announce the candidacy of its leader, Laurent Gbagbo, for the upcoming presidential elections. The former president was designated as the party’s candidate during an internal meeting held in mid-March.
Nearly 2000 party members are invited to participate in the proceedings to formalize Laurent Gbagbo’s candidacy to represent the PPA-CI in the 2025 Ivorian presidential elections. The former president will deliver a speech this afternoon to present his agenda.
Within the PPA-CI, the choice of Gbagbo as the party’s flagbearer is unanimous. However, his current status raises questions: Laurent Gbagbo was granted a presidential pardon in August 2022. Yet, he has been removed from the electoral lists as he is deemed ineligible due to suspending his civil rights following a twenty-year prison sentence in the “BCEAO bank robbery case.”
In parallel with this Convention, his party intends to engage in discussions. On March 15, the PPA-CI sent a letter to the Prime Minister requesting a meeting to discuss Laurent Gbagbo’s reinstatement on the electoral lists. This move aims to initiate a “political negotiation,” as indicated by Jean-Gervais Tchéïdé, the party’s Secretary-General and Deputy Spokesperson. “We have a recent history laden with painful memories; reassuring the population that elections can be held without tumult is crucial. For us, the first step is to engage in dialogue with the government,” added Tchéïdé.