Ouattara’s decision was received with shock by Ivorians and the political world at large. This is because Ouattara started the year proposing to amend the electoral constitution of the country, which seemed to favour a possible 3rd term agenda or discourage potential candidates. Thus, leading to an outcry by political opposition, who accused Ouattara of trying to impose age restrictions to discourage previous Ivorian president Laurent Gbagbo, 74, and Henri Konan Bedie, 85 from contesting elections. However, The Ivorian leader issued a counter-statement saying. ‘’I would like to reassure one and all that this is not about ‘stalling’ anyone. As I have said, anyone can be a candidate,” I have just turned 78 and I’m not thinking about excluding anyone, myself included.
SOURCE: VENTURES AFRICA
