ALISTAIR THOMSON, Abidjan | Friday
IVORY Coast’s army ruler General Robert Guei has vowed to stand down if he loses Sunday’s presidential election – but claims have already been levelled that soldiers loyal to Guei are trying to rig the poll.
Guei, who is running against four other hopefuls, appealed to the people to ignore boycott calls and vote, only hours after the head of the national electoral commission said a special committee had been set up to investigate allegations that soldiers had forced civilians taken to barracks for questioning during in the last fortnight to put their fingerprints on ballot papers against Guei’s name. Fingerprints can be used to vote on ballot papers in the poll.
Guei, whose decision to stand as army ruler has drawn criticism at home and abroad, promised to respect the result. He was put in power by soldiers who staged the West African country’s first coup in December.
Nineteen had registered to contest the poll but Socialist Laurent Gbagbo is the only political heavyweight left in the race after the supreme court ruled most ineligible on October 6.
Many international observers dropped plans to monitor the poll after the court ruling, although around 70 international monitors from the European Union, other countries and organisations, are expected to observe alongside around 100 national observers.
Guei said the West African country would close its airports and land borders every night from Friday until Tuesday morning, but added the move should not be seen as an electoral ploy.
He said nothing about a curfew, which some critics had speculated he may impose to enable him to rig the vote.
The National Islamic Council (CNI), a leading Muslim group, called on people to stay at home and pray on Sunday.
The former ruling Democratic Party, which had a large parliamentary majority before the December coup, called for a peaceful boycott after the supreme court excluded all its candidates under a constitution adopted by a July referendum.
The Rally of the Republicans of former Prime Minister Alassane Ouattara, who was also excluded, added its voice to the calls for a boycott. – Reuters