The Ivorian Crisis: The Opinion of a Cameroonian Presidential Candidate
By Dr. Nfor N. Susungi, TFT 31/12/10


I have followed very closely the unfolding post-electoral drama in Cote d’Ivoire and feel that I have a duty to issue an opinion on this issue, particularly because I have already declared that I am a candidate for the Presidential elections scheduled in Cameroon in October 2011. This automatically places me in a position where I must speak out my mind on this burning issue which I see as being relevant in all other African countries where elections will be taking place soon, including Cameroon.

I have known Cote d’Ivoire ever since I joined the African Development Bank in 1977 at the age of 29. This makes it 33 years since I have known this country. There are three countries of which I can claim to have in-depth political and economic knowledge and they are Cameroon, Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire.

The Houphouetic Vision

When I first came to Cote d’Ivoire, President Felix Houphouet Boigny was fond of saying that he is determined to create “un ilot de prosperité dans un océan de misère”. That was one of his wise quotations. He led Cote d’Ivoire to make remarkable achievements such as: producing 1.33 million tons of cocoa; 400,000 tons of palm oil; 450,000 tons of coffee; 200,000 tons or rubber; 1.0 million tons of rice etc., etc. etc. These are remarkable achievements compared to a country such as Cameroon.

However, on hindsight I think that President Houphouet Boigny was completely mistaken in this vision because the forces of poverty in neighboring countries are now moving in, like gigantic cockroaches, to destroy the island of prosperity which he thought he was creating. The struggle for political power in Cote d’Ivoire between President Laurent Gbagbo and Alassane Dramane Ouattara needs to be understood in the context of this Houphouetic vision because in reality it is an epic and fratricidal struggle between those who want to claim ownership of this Houphouetic inheritance.

Dramatis Personae

On one hand, there is Laurent Gbagbo, a long time opposition leader who started challenging the rule of President Felix Houphouet Boigny when he was still in his 30s. He never liked the Françafrique and Freemasonic network within which the Houphouet government ran the country. His party (FPI) came to power in 2000 on the platform of “Refondation”. Refondation simply means profound change.

On the other hand there is Alassane Dramane Ouattara, a man who is considered by many Ivoirians as an interloper who was brought into their midst by President Houphouet Boigny himself in 1989 when he needed a trained economist to stabilize the Ivorian economy. Alassane had left the IMF in 1984 where he was working as a Voltaique national to become the Deputy Governor of BCEAO, a position which was reserved for Burkina Faso.

But after the death in 1988 of Abdoulaye Fadiga, the Ivorian Governor of BCEAO, President Houphouet Boigny saw nothing wrong with naming Alassane Dramane Ouattara to the position of Governor because his overriding concern was always to find someone who was competent for the job. Moreover, it was an established fact that even though Alassane Dramane Ouattara was a Burkinabe, he had actually been born in Dimbokro, Cote d’Ivoire.

But as “l’appetit vient en mangeant”, President Houphouet Boigny decided in 1989 to appoint Alassane Dramane Ouattara, the Governor of BCEAO to become the Chairman of an interministerial committee to reform and stabilize the floundering Ivorian economy. Houphouet’s choice of Alassane was based on the fact that as the required reforms were inspired by the IMF, it made sense for him to use the former IMF employee, now governor of BCEAO to handle the job.

From there Alassane Dramane Ouattara climbed the next ladder to be named Prime Minister of Cote d’Ivoire in 1990. When he formed his government, he kept the portfolio of Minister of Finance to himself. Thus Alassane Dramane Ouattara was simultaneously, Governor of BCEAO, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance. Throughout this entire period, no one asked any questions about the nationality of Alassane Dramane Ouattara except for a man called Laurent Gbagbo. The response which was given by the PDCI to this question was that the nationality of Alassane Dramane Ouattara was “sans objet”.

Then Houphouet fell ill and was evacuated to France. During the period of his illness until his death, Alassane Dramane Ouattara was simultaneously, Governor of BCEAO, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Acting President of the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire.

When finally Houphouet died in 1993, Alassane wanted to hang on to the position of Acting President and Head of state and serve out his remaining term, instead of stepping aside for Henri Konan Bedie who was the constitutional successor. Bedie simply went on TV and imposed himself as the constitutional successor and asked everybody to put themselves at his disposal. Recognizing that Bedie was indeed the constitutional successor, the armed forces came together and forced Alassane Dramane Ouattara to vacate his position.

Alassane Dramane Ouattara went back to the IMF where he was appointed Deputy Managing Director by Michel Camdessus. But the fallout from this confrontation between Henri Konan Bedie and Alassane Dramane Ouattara is that Alassane created a new political party called “Le Rassemblement des Republicains (RDR)” as a breakaway party from the PDCI.

Militants of the PDCI never forgave Alassane Dramane Ouattara for creating the RDR because they felt that he was ungrateful to the memory of President Felix Houphouet Boigny by trying to destroy the PDCI, the party which had made him simultaneously, Governor of BCEAO, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Acting President of Cote d’Ivoire, all without bringing up the issue of his nationality. That is partly the reason why President Henri Konan Bedie articulated the doctrine of “Ivoirité” which would lead to his being toppled from power in 1999.

The key point that I want to make is that this is the trajectory which Alassane Dramane Ouattara used to introduce himself to the Ivorian political scene. Questions regarding his eligibility for the position of President dogged him in the run-up to the Presidential elections of 2000 because he could not satisfy the Constitutional Council that both of his parents were of Ivorian nationality. His eligibility for the recent presidential election was settled by President Laurent Gbagbo who used article 48 of the new Ivorian constitution declare all signatories of the Marcoussis Accord to be eligible for the last Presidential elections. Article 48 of the Ivorian constitution empowers the Head of State to sign any decree which is deemed to be in the highest interests of the nation.

Was the Presidential Election in Cote d’Ivoire Free and Fair?

For once, this is the easiest question to answer because the simple answer is NO. It was not possible to conduct free and fair elections in a country which was still cut in half with the rebel Forces Nouvelles (under the direct Command and control of Prime Minister Soro Guillaume) still controlling the northern half, having resisted all attempts to get them to disarm as required by the so-called Accords Politique de Ouagadougou. In spite of the fact that not even ONUCI with nearly 9,000 troops had succeeded in getting the rebels to disarm before the election, pressure was brought by the US and France, through the United Nations, for the elections to proceed.

The exactions that took place during the elections by armed groups in the rebel controlled north were detailed in consistent and concordant reports presented by various observer groups, including that of the African Union led by former Togolese Prime Minister Joseph Koffi KOFFIGOH, who all concluded that the scale of electoral abuses in the northern zone were on such a scale as to discredit the sincerity of the vote in many areas in the North.

Curiously, Curiously, Curiously, we started hearing voices to the effect that the credibility of local (African) observers was questionable. That is because the reports of European and American observers had already given passing marks to the entire election. The racist undertone to the denigrating commentary directed at African observers was absolutely unmistakable. That is when we all began to suspect that there was a grand agenda in this election which was not known to the public.

So who won the last election in Cote d’Ivoire?

Anyone who claims that they know, for sure, that either Alassane Dramane Ouattara or Laurent Gbagbo won the election is fiddling with the truth. Since no one can certify to the satisfaction of everyone that the election was free and fair, the question of the will of the Ivorian people, as expressed through the ballot box, will continue to be “a riddle wrapped in a puzzle inside an enigma”.

The only thing that we know with absolute certainty is that Mr. Youssouf Bakayoko, the President of the CEI, having failed to announce the preliminary results within the stipulated 72-hour period, transmitted the election materials to the Constitutional Council after midnight on Wednesday 1/12/2010. Then on Thursday 2/12/2010 he went to Alassane’s campaign HQ at Golf Hotel to attend a press conference and ended up declaring Alassane the winner in a 3 minute speech. None were more stunned at this development than his fellow members of the CEI who were completely taken unawares.

The second thing that we know for sure is that Youssouf Bakayoko’s announcement at Golf Hotel was carried live on France 24 and other foreign media and that no Ivorian news network was present. The third thing which we know for sure is that the Constitutional Council declared Youssouf Bakayoko’s results invalid for being made after 72-hour deadline and for making it single-handedly in the campaign HQ of one candidate. The Constitutional Council went on to declare on Friday 3/12/2010 Gbagbo the final winner of the election after ruling on the validity petitions which were filed by Gbagbo to the Constitutional Council.

The last thing that we know with absolute certainty is that everyone seems to have taken sides since then and depending on whether you support Laurent Gbagbo or Alassane Dramane Ouattara, each side has been tuning only into the news networks which amplify the information which is favorable to their point of view.

The Football Game Metaphor

The controversy at the moment is around the competence and the role of the CEI and the Constitution Council in the electoral process. The problem is that when irregularities are noticed in the field, candidates who feel aggrieved send their petitions by Huissier de Justice directly to the Constitutional Council, not to the CEI. Consequently, whatever results the CEI announces, we have to face the legal reality that the Constitutional Council will consider the results announced by the CEI and make a final ruling taking into account the petitions which it has received from aggrieved candidates, provided that the petitions are filed within the 72-hours following the closure of voting. But by law, the Constitutional Council is the final authority in the country whose ruling cannot be appealed anywhere in the country.

The reversal by the Constitutional Council of the results announced by the CEI is similar to a situation where a team scores a critical goal in the dying minutes of a football match and while they are busy jubilating, the referee rules that the scoring player was offside. Hence the goal is cancelled.

We even saw a case where England scored a clean goal during the last world cup. But the referee failed to see that the ball had crossed the line and as a result, the goal was not validated. As painful as it is, the team has to accept that the ruling of the referee is final. Any other type of conduct will be unacceptable and outside of the rules of the football game.

Similarly, we have seen a situation where an American athlete won several gold medals in the Olympic Games; but several years later, it turns out that the athlete failed a urine test and was stripped of the gold medals which were then awarded to the previous silver-medalists. Those are the rules of the game. Unless we accept that these are the rules, then there will be anarchy.

The Constitution vs. the United Nations

I am deeply shocked by those who refuse to accept the finality of the ruling of the Constitutional Council either on grounds that this ruling is contrary to the “certification” of the UN Special Representative or because he was reportedly a pro-Gbagbo nominee. This is intellectual dishonesty of the highest order. One cannot deny the right of a sitting president to nominate persons close to their political convictions or affiliations to the Supreme Court, as Barack Obama has done on two occasions since arriving at the White House.

Paul Yao Ndre is a Constitutional Lawyer of impeccable credentials and the ruling of the Constitutional Council under his Presidency cannot be dismissed just because he is reportedly a friend of Laurent Gbagbo. Whatever the case, since his ruling, he has come forward to defend the legal grounds on which he made his rulings whereas, nothing has been heard of Mr. Youssouf Bakayoko since he announced the results at Golf Hotel. The question is where is he and why has he gone into hiding? Who and what is he afraid of?

In all fairness to the camp of Alassane Dramane Ouattara, they may have been inclined to accept fatalistically the decision of the Constitutional Council, based on my football analogy. But unfortunately they were encouraged to engage in dissidence by the belief that there is another jurisdiction above the Constitutional Council when Mr. Choi, the UN Representative publicly disowned the results of the Constitutional Court by “certifying” that the winner of the election was Mr. Alassane Dramane Ouattara.

I listened, live, to the press briefing of Mr. Choi on ONUCI FM at which Ofeibea Quist-Arcton, a well-known Ghanaian journalist asked him, “Are you saying that there are two Presidents in Cote d’Ivoire now?” Mr. Choi replied in the affirmative. From that moment, I knew that Cote d’Ivoire was heading for an abyss and Mr. Choi was a very dangerous international civil servant who had triggered something very sinister which was now unstoppable.

Mr. Choi has behaved like a FIFA or CAF official watching a football game from the grandstand and jumping in to countermand the decision of a referee on a football field. While FIFA and CAF officials are always present in all football games in order to “certify” that the game was played in accordance with governing rules, no FIFA or CAF official is allowed to question, let alone invalidate the decision of a referee on a football field. If on a football field, players are encouraged to believe that the decision of the referee is not final, then that will certainly bring an end to the game of football as we know it.

Role of the Armed Forces

Much has been made of the fact that the Armed Forces are supporting President Laurent Gbagbo. But why should this be surprising? Once the President of the Constitutional Council administered the oath of office to Laurent Gbagbo, the Armed Forces have a constitutional duty to defend the institutions of Republic. Many of the soldiers voted for Alassane Dramane Ouattara, based on their convictions as citizens. But once the Constitutional Council issues its ruling and the President is sworn-in, every solder in uniform must defend the constitutionally anointed President.

What is Shocking

The reaction of French President Nikolas Sarkozy was perfectly understandable and predictable because the role of France in the rebellion in Cote d’Ivoire has been established and documented. What has shocked Africans is the role and the reaction of President Barack Obama. The information that the US Ambassador in Cote d’Ivoire played a role, alongside his French counterpart, in stealthily conveying Mr. Youssouf Bakayoko to Golf Hotel on Thursday 1/12/2010 so that he can declare Alassane Dramane Ouattara the winner is the type of politics which we in Africa find difficult to identify with the Obama Administration. In the electoral process, such an act is worse than stuffing ballot boxes or carrying them in the boot of one’s car into the night. It has lowered the democratic credentials of the Obama Administration by at least by five notches and damaged the credibility of President Barack Obama in Africa in an irreparable manner.

That is the type of roughish game that France plays and they are well known for it. The reversal of the results of the Presidential elections in Gabon to declare Bongo’s son the winner has been revealed by French officials themselves. The reversal of the results of the Presidential elections in Cameroon in 1992 between Ni John Fru Ndi and Paul Biya is also well known. But the Obama Administration is unworthy of this type of role. If the final outcome of the current crisis is a regional war in West Africa which was threatened at the last ECOWAS Summit in Abuja, this will be Obama’s Third War since coming into office. The First Obama War is the war in Afghanistan and the Second Obama War is the Drone War in Pakistan.

From he who promises nothing, nothing is expected; but from he who promises much, much more is expected. President Barack Obama told us when he visited Ghana that Africa needs strong institutions, not strong men. The people of Cote d’Ivoire are trying to build strong institutions based on their constitution and when a President who has been sworn-in by the Constitutional Council is summoned to the White House like a small “niggerboy”, in order to be told to renounce the oath of office that he took at his swearing-in, it is not Laurent Gbagbo who is being humiliated; it is the Ivorian Constitution and its derivative institutions that are being humiliated. It is the Ivorian people who are being humiliated. It is all Africans that are feeling humiliated.

President Barack Obama, Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, UN Ambassador Susan Rice and Mr. Johnny Carson have to be a little more subtle in the handling of their Africa policy from Washington because Africans are extremely sensitive to the appearance of a new master-slave relationship between the United States and any Africa country particularly when the occupant in the White House is an African-American.

The man called Professor Paul Yao Ndre

The real adversary standing between Alassane Dramane Ouattara and the Presidency of Cote d’Ivoire is not Laurent Gbagbo; it is Professor Paul Yao Ndre, the President of the Constitutional Council. Contrary to what many people seem to think, Paul Yao Ndre is a very able and independent-minded legal thinker who is sure about the legal grounds on which he made his ruling. He has full constitutional powers to make any ruling on the regularity of any aspects of the electoral process including, above all, on the validity of the announcement which was made by Youssouf Bakayoko at Golf Hotel.

On this particular point, his ruling was that the announcement was null and void because it was made after 72-hour foreclosure deadline and in the partisan context of the campaign HQ of one candidate. This is the most important ruling made by Professor Paul Yao Ndre and it is valid and binding. Any one challenging this ruling is attacking an institution, not a person. This is a ruling similar to a court denying the admissibility of evidence simply on the technicality of the manner in which it was obtained. In other words it does not matter whether the results announced by Youssouf Bakayoko were true and accurate or not; the time and space context of their announcement made the results constitutionally inadmissible for the purpose of determining the outcome of the election. Hence, legally and constitutionally, the CEI never announced any results at all!!!!!!

The venom which is being poured prematurely on Professor Paul Yao Ndre at the moment is a serious mistake with which the United States should not be associated because even if an ECOWAS intervention force dislodges Laurent Gbagbo, the Armed Forces of Cote d’Ivoire will never swear their allegiance to defend Alassane as President unless he is sworn-in by Professor Paul Yao Ndre. As things stand at the moment, even if the Presidency became vacant, Alassane cannot claim it automatically because Professor Paul Yao Ndre will have no grounds for swearing-in Alassane to occupy the post of President.

This man, Professor Paul Yao Ndre, has anointing powers without which no one can be recognized as the President of the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire. As long as Alassane Dramane Ouattara is not sworn-in by Professor Paul Yao Ndre, he will never become the accepted President and Head of State of the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire.

The Role of Regional Organizations

Equally shocking has been the role of regional organizations which took their decisions without bothering to hear both sides of the story. Alassane Dramane Ouattara has been proclaimed winner by the “International Community” while Laurent Gbagbo has been declared winner by the Constitutional Council of the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire. None can ignore the other because each one of them can claim to be standing on solid ground.

Clearly, the Ivorian crisis is breaking new ground in defining a new constitutional jurisdiction transcending the concept of sovereign states as defined and understood under the UN and AU charter. That new and emerging constitutional jurisdiction is known vaguely as “the International Community”. The powers that his new jurisdiction has arrogated to itself include the power to certify elections in a sovereign state and to declare war on a sovereign state. It is not yet clear whether the Ivorian crisis is a one-off situation or whether it is part of an emerging trend.

If it is part of a trend, then it is necessary for the world to get together very quickly and adopt some convention defining who “The International Community” is and what are its powers of intervention in the affairs of sovereign states. Failing that, we should expect that the world, and more particularly Africa, will enter a period of political instability on a scale never known before.

It is regrettable that it is only after the last ECOWAS summit unilaterally declared war on Laurent Gbagbo that they finally decided to send a delegation to deliver the ultimatum to Laurent Gbagbo. This is a watershed event in African history. The damage is already done. If the ECOWAS war does breakout, Africa will face its greatest challenge since the advent of independence in the Gold Coast in 1957. ECOWAS and UEMOA are now in deep trouble. The breakup of ECOWAS is on the cards if war breaks out and the withdrawal of Cote d’Ivoire from the CFA zone is also a possibility.

Lessons

After studying the Ivorian crisis for the last several weeks, I have drawn a number of lessons which I would like to share with Cameroonians:

1. Mistrust for the Presidential System: The Ivorian crisis has deepened by mistrust for the Presidential system of government. It is a system that is inherently polarizing because in every country at the moment, it is becoming increasingly difficult for any Presidential election to result in a clear-cut winner or loser. I have decided that I shall deal with this issue in the Newcam Prosperity Pact which shall be unveiled soon as part of my campaign platform;

2. The Role of Electoral Commissions: The idea of independent electoral commissions for conducting and or monitoring elections has proven to be an illusion because most African countries have become so polarized that it is impossible to find individuals who are either neutral or independent in the political arena to incorporate into these commissions. In Cameroon much debate has centered on the role and composition of ELECAM. I don’t intend to waste much time talking about the role of ELECAM. I shall simply take ELECAM as it is and concentrate on the content of my message to the Cameroonian people through the Newcam Prosperity Pact and leave the rest to God.

3. The Dangers of Foreign Support: One of the issues which any budding Presidential aspirant must consider is whether or not to go and seek the support of some foreign power for his ambitions. I have concluded that the biggest mistake that any presidential candidate can make is to seek the support of a foreign power. I believe that those who go out of their way to seek such support either have weak or no ideas or they are not sure of their popular support back home. Once the foreign power gives you such support, you have already mortgaged the sovereignty of the country to them in advance. Therefore, whether I sink or swim, I intend to limit my presidential campaign to Cameroon and shall not be visiting any European or American capital to solicit support.

4. Too young to wield global power: There is now an emerging trend in many western countries of young men in their early 40s rising to the pinnacle of political power in their countries. The advent of the internet and other electronic media has made it possible for anyone with communication and technical skills to leverage on the power of the internet to catapult themselves to power. However, it is only when they get to the very top of the political pyramid that they discover the true global reach of the power that their constitution confers on them. My concern is that they have not lived long enough to understand the true implications of the global power at their command and how its exercise affects human life in places that they never thought of when they were seeking power. These highly gifted young politicians that the west is releasing with increasing frequency on the world stage are beginning to scare me to death. This applies to political leaders as well as sudden powerful media giants such as we have seen emerge from Wikileaks.

My advice to the new generation political leaders that are running the world today is this: Every political problem has at least two sides which are part of the same coin. The one-sided coin approach to any problem in the world always leads to an abyss. There are more complex problems in the world which have as many sides as a piece of dice which has six sides. Consequently, any amount of time that is spent trying to study the faces on each side of a coin is always time well spent. Unless those leaders who exercise power with global reach heed this advice from an obscure presidential candidate from Cameroon, then the nuclear clock may be closer to midnight than we think.

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Source:Ocnus.net 2010

Nice right up

Someone needs to do a paper on the influence of Western media on african thoughts, it will make for an interesting read.

Africa!Slavery continues

The mystery deepens with this new insight into the troubles. My only skepticism is, the author coated Gbagbos arguements in "technicolor". (too good to be true, I say).

This is a good write up!

What i need someone to explain to me however is that if the results of the elections are constitutionally void as claimed by the writer based on non declaration withing a 72 hour time frame, on what basis, does the Constitutional Council declare Gbagbo as the winner of the elections?

Contrary to what many people seem to think, Paul Yao Ndre is a very able and independent-minded legal thinker who is sure about the legal grounds on which he made his ruling.

Why does the writer make statements as above? what evidence, past achievements, recognitions does Paul Yao Ndre hold to back up his claim on integrity?

Does it make any sense that the fact that the Judiciary and Executive maintain close personal ties could have influenced the Constitutional Councils Judgement ?,  . .

Should we just assume based on the writers vouch for Paul Yao's integrity that this is not a clear cut case of abuse of office and powers?

On one hand, there is Laurent Gbagbo, a long time opposition leader who started challenging the rule of President Felix Houphouet Boigny when he was still in his 30s

On the other hand there is Alassane Dramane Ouattara, a man who is considered by many Ivoirians as an interloper

Is it just me, or does this statements in quote really show a bias attitude of the writer? i.e, Gbagbo being an opposition and Ouattara being an interloper?
If Ouattara was indeed an interloper, how then could he amass voters support to have supposedly won an election by over half a million votes.

Let's say for an instant that wasn't true, should we ignore the fact that someone considered an interloper by majority actually came close to winning the election?

Link to the original: http://www.ocnus.net/artman2/publish/Analyses_12/The-Ivorian-Crisis-The-Opinion-of-a-Cameroonian-Presidential-Candidate_printer.shtml

Excellent article. Hard to avoid drawing parallels between the Ivory Coast situation and the upcoming Nigerian elections.

@violent: It is hard for me to imagine that the author is also biased in favor of Gbagbo. And as he points out, it is going to be very hard to find judges/lawyers who have absolutely no connection to anyone. Generally however, you assume that judges will do the right thing, and back up their pronouncements with a firm legal basis.


Hmm, I was very troubled by the folllowing:

The reaction of French President Nikolas Sarkozy was perfectly understandable and predictable because the role of France in the rebellion in Cote d’Ivoire has been established and documented. What has shocked Africans is the role and the reaction of President Barack Obama. The information that the US Ambassador in Cote d’Ivoire played a role, alongside his French counterpart, in stealthily conveying Mr. Youssouf Bakayoko to Golf Hotel on Thursday 1/12/2010 so that he can declare Alassane Dramane Ouattara the winner is the type of politics which we in Africa find difficult to identify with the Obama Administration. In the electoral process, such an act is worse than stuffing ballot boxes or carrying them in the boot of one’s car into the night. It has lowered the democratic credentials of the Obama Administration by at least by five notches and damaged the credibility of President Barack Obama in Africa in an irreparable manner.[/b]

and

That is the type of roughish game that France plays and they are well known for it. The reversal of the results of the Presidential elections in Gabon to declare Bongo’s son the winner has been revealed by French officials themselves. The reversal of the results of the Presidential elections in Cameroon in 1992 between Ni John Fru Ndi and Paul Biya is also well known. But the Obama Administration is unworthy of this type of role. If the final outcome of the current crisis is a regional war in West Africa which was threatened at the last ECOWAS Summit in Abuja, this will be Obama’s Third War since coming into office. The First Obama War is the war in Afghanistan and the Second Obama War is the Drone War in Pakistan.

and finally

From he who promises nothing, nothing is expected; but from he who promises much, much more is expected. President Barack Obama told us when he visited Ghana that Africa needs strong institutions, not strong men. The people of Cote d’Ivoire are trying to build strong institutions based on their constitution and when a President who has been sworn-in by the Constitutional Council is summoned to the White House like a small “niggerboy”, in order to be told to renounce the oath of office that he took at his swearing-in, it is not Laurent Gbagbo who is being humiliated; it is the Ivorian Constitution and its derivative institutions that are being humiliated. It is the Ivorian people who are being humiliated. It is all Africans that are feeling humiliated.

^^^^how are you, Eku?

What happened to your main username? And, why Eku?

Insightful write up poster.

However I am in gross disagreemment with your last four conclusions stemmig from the following analysis:

df2006:

1. Mistrust for the Presidential System: The Ivorian crisis has deepened by mistrust for the Presidential system of government. It is a system that is inherently polarizing because in every country at the moment, it is becoming increasingly difficult for any Presidential election to result in a clear-cut winner or loser. I have decided that I shall deal with this issue in the Newcam Prosperity Pact which shall be unveiled soon as part of my campaign platform;

The presidential system of government is premised on the separation of powers in which there exists checks and balances btw arms of government in an effort to curb misuse, misintepretation and abuse of power. The problem with African countries in understanding and articulationg this system is in the overwhelming secondary factors that penetrate and influence the true objectives of the system in terms of Tribalism, Nepotism,Gross corruption, uncontrolled Greed, illiteracy of the electorate and the populous.

Presidential systems are not absolute in their interpretation and implementation and can be adjusted to fit each society based on the extenuating circumstances and percularity of the society, none the less holding fast to its principle framework as a guide to achieving consensus. The users in Africa only seek to manipulate these systems and further a state of exclusivety in administration. History will always prove that a state of inclusiveness and progressiveness holding the well being of the entire Citizenry first and foremost at heart has proven to be sustainable for most societies that recognize this. We all know this is what goes on in each African pseudo democratic states

df2006:

2. The Role of Electoral Commissions: The idea of independent electoral commissions for conducting and or monitoring elections has proven to be an illusion because most African countries have become so polarized that it is impossible to find individuals who are either neutral or independent in the political arena to incorporate into these commissions. In Cameroon much debate has centered on the role and composition of ELECAM. I don’t intend to waste much time talking about the role of ELECAM. I shall simply take ELECAM as it is and concentrate on the content of my message to the Cameroonian people through the Newcam Prosperity Pact and leave the rest to God.

If the problem therefore resonates from the inability of electoral commissions to be independent then other solutions should be sort after and discussed that advance the effectiveness of the system so far as to contract neutral external parties being employed to monitor these activites and I emphasis neutrality of these third parties in terms of politics and economics. Surely with all the countries in the world this can be done effectively. If you say it can't be done siting issue of sovreignty then in the end countries still get involved int he long run don't they?

df2006:

3. The Dangers of Foreign Support: One of the issues which any budding Presidential aspirant must consider is whether or not to go and seek the support of some foreign power for his ambitions. I have concluded that the biggest mistake that any presidential candidate can make is to seek the support of a foreign power. I believe that those who go out of their way to seek such support either have weak or no ideas or they are not sure of their popular support back home. Once the foreign power gives you such support, you have already mortgaged the sovereignty of the country to them in advance. Therefore, whether I sink or swim, I intend to limit my presidential campaign to Cameroon and shall not be visiting any European or American capital to solicit support

In terms of the increasing inevitable existence of globalization of the planet, to avoid engagement with other countries is futile in terms of political and economics. No man or no cournty is an island. What you are alluding to is continious dependency on colonial ties who have proven troublesome meddlers in African affairs mostly because of their economic interests on the continent. This cannot be avoided moving forward in the 21st century. China encounterd this, so did South African and so will other African countries. The only difference being that there was a consensus by the two former mentioned countries to focus its future on progressive principles that uplifted its people inevitably creating support, consolidating and legitimizing its power. Something unfortunately absent in other African nations who do not really have any respect for their citizens

df2006:

4. [b]Too young to wield global power: There is now an emerging trend in many western countries of young men in their early 40s rising to the pinnacle of political power in their countries. The advent of the internet and other electronic media has made it possible for anyone with communication and technical skills to leverage on the power of the internet to catapult themselves to power. However, it is only when they get to the very top of the political pyramid that they discover the true global reach of the power that their constitution confers on them. My concern is that they have not lived long enough to understand the true implications of the global power at their command and how its exercise affects human life in places that they never thought of when they were seeking power. These highly gifted young politicians that the west is releasing with increasing frequency on the world stage are beginning to scare me to death. This applies to political leaders as well as sudden powerful media giants such as we have seen emerge from Wikileaks.[/b]

This is the most imcomprehensable of all your points. It does not hold any water based on statistical information. Although I will conceed the notion that experience and age are positivly correlated to good leadership qualities and decision making processes, the real overwhelming factors that dictate leadership are the access to vital and good information and an all round ability to cognitively process that information in an intellectual capacity to predicting favorable outcomes. I can site many examples but leave that to your intelligence to understand. A recent report showed the average age of heads of states in Africa and the rest of the world in the past 50 years  with a 25 year gap existing between the two variables and indiating that the latter showed continious progression within their socities despite the fact that the HOS became younger and younger. Don't you thin there are implications to that date report.


In conclusion and in my humblest opinion. The focus should shift from a struggle to gain power and the placement of power in the hands of the people to lift themselves up from their predicaments, only then can individauls in governmet stand firm as legitimized servants to the public understanding that their powers  are turly predicated on how powerfull their populous become both intellectually, politically, socially and economically.

Good luck on your presidentail run. You are going to need it.

@Eku_bear

It was obvious that the author was biased from the onset as he cleverly made statements that paints Gbagbo as a victim of western manipulation. He blamed france, USA, EU, AU, ECOWAS, and every individual in between but Gbagbo for the many ills of Ivory Coast, shall we then say he wrote from an independent unbiased point of view?
He smartly made a mess of the reputation of the UN appointed electoral  independent auditor who maintained that Outtara won the election while he polished the image of the President of the Constitutional Committee, a friend of Gbagbo, who nullified the results of the election and proclaimed Gbagbo the winner. . . .and you still don't see any bias?

The information that the US Ambassador in Cote d’Ivoire played a role, alongside his French counterpart, in stealthily conveying Mr. Youssouf Bakayoko to Golf Hotel on Thursday 1/12/2010 so that he can declare Alassane Dramane Ouattara the winner is the type of politics which we in Africa find difficult to identify with the Obama Administration. In the electoral process, such an act is worse than stuffing ballot boxes or carrying them in the boot of one’s car into the night

As for the quoted, here is a link to the events of the day http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=15877306073&topic=16253

It was quoted that supporters of Gbagbo had torn up the announcement of the first provisional report and had prevented media journalists from gaining access to the Independent Election Commission’s office.  There were also allegations that Gbagbo being the sitting president had put efforts in place to manipulate the results of the election, if this was the case, then it is only necessary that the election materials and result remain in sight of independent bodies to ensure a fair and Just outcome. The author had cunningly omitted this parts and had instead painted a picture in a reader's mind of a case where everyone and country wanted Gbagbo out of the picture. . . . and as usual, US gets the bigger part of the blame, not especially at a time when she's known to interfere a great deal in international affairs. . . and guess what, the EU, the African Union, the United Nations, Ecowas, etc, all of them just so hated Gbagbo or were they all just doing Mr Obama's bidding?

Is there any plausibility that the author maintains close links with laurance Gbagbo and therefor feels obliged to " stand by him" in troubling times?

why does the author not talk about how the Constitutional Committee in its mighty power find it fit to cancel election result in 4 northern regions, and only then was Gbagbo fit enough to win by 51% of votes?. . . It's just like cancelling election results in Kano, Maidiguri, Borno, Bauchi, and Taraba and then declaring Goodluck Jonathan as the President  . . .now that's a big factor that the author had forgotten to talk about

No one wishes to mess about with the sovereignty of Ivory Coast, but in the interest of democracy, and in the interest of the populace, it is important that all parties abide by principles of Justice and fair play.  Gbagbo had the Constitutional Council and the armed forces in his pocket, Outtara relies on the backing of the international community. . . one of them will eventually become president. . .or perhaps neither of them, but in either case, i don't think Gbagbo will be leading Ivory Coast anytime in the future

This is a wonderful write up although slightly biased but it goves us the other side of the coin. I have always been sceptical when the whole international community agrees on something, backed up with the international press relating with to an african or third world country.

There are always 2 sides to a story and we have never really understood Gbagbos story. The only thing i find amazing is after 10 years of Gbagbo govt how was he able to contest elections again, except if the terms of governance is limitless in the country. The interesting thing is how the constitutional court arrived at the 52 or 54% awarded to Gbagbo himself.

I do not like foreign interferance in country elections and I was disgusted when Bush invited Yaradua to the whitehouse after the worst election in the whole of Africa.

violent:

@Eku_bear

It was obvious that the author was biased from the onset as he cleverly made statements that paints Gbagbo as a victim of western manipulation. He blamed france, USA, EU, AU, ECOWAS, and every individual in between but Gbagbo for the many ills of Ivory Coast, shall we then say he wrote from an independent unbiased point of view?
He smartly made a mess of the reputation of the UN appointed electoral independent auditor who maintained that Outtara won the election while he polished the image of the President of the Constitutional Committee, a friend of Gbagbo, who nullified the results of the election and proclaimed Gbagbo the winner. . . .and you still don't see any bias?

As for the quoted, here is a link to the events of the day http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=15877306073&topic=16253

It was quoted that supporters of Gbagbo had torn up the announcement of the first provisional report and had prevented media journalists from gaining access to the Independent Election Commission’s office. There were also allegations that Gbagbo being the sitting president had put efforts in place to manipulate the results of the election, if this was the case, then it is only necessary that the election materials and result remain in sight of independent bodies to ensure a fair and Just outcome. The author had cunningly omitted this parts and had instead painted a picture in a reader's mind of a case where everyone and country wanted Gbagbo out of the picture. . . . and as usual, US gets the bigger part of the blame, not especially at a time when she's known to interfere a great deal in international affairs. . . and guess what, the EU, the African Union, the United Nations, Ecowas, etc, all of them just so hated Gbagbo or were they all just doing Mr Obama's bidding?

Is there any plausibility that the author maintains close links with laurance Gbagbo and therefor feels obliged to " stand by him" in troubling times?

why does the author not talk about how the Constitutional Committee in its mighty power find it fit to cancel election result in 4 northern regions, and only then was Gbagbo fit enough to win by 51% of votes?. . . It's just like cancelling election results in Kano, Maidiguri, Borno, Bauchi, and Taraba and then declaring Goodluck Jonathan as the President . . .now that's a big factor that the author had forgotten to talk about

No one wishes to mess about with the sovereignty of Ivory Coast, but in the interest of democracy, and in the interest of the populace, it is important that all parties abide by principles of Justice and fair play. Gbagbo had the Constitutional Council and the armed forces in his pocket, Outtara relies on the backing of the international community. . . one of them will eventually become president. . .or perhaps neither of them, but in either case, i don't think Gbagbo will be leading Ivory Coast anytime in the future

The issue of Ivory Coast is a brazen example of neo-colonialism swiping across African content all in the deceitful frame of “New World Order”.

Did you inquire why France, USA, EU and UN brought the so-called president of the Independent Electoral Commission, Mr Youssouf Bakayoko, to the Hôtel du Golf, the campaign headquarters of Mr Ouattara, facing the foreign press, including France 24, in order to declare wrongful results?

What I am getting from this writer (Dr. Nfor N. Susung) is that Gbagbo is such a weakling that incumbecy no longer has a bite again in an African election?
Just like in many African elections and their leaders, Gbagbo has exhausted his mandate but wants to carry on regarless of the law against it, then he tried to call his main opponent a non Ivorian and when that didn't work, he went ahead with the election, only to find himself in a run-off, and for the greedy opposition to unite behind Quattara and beat him, he suddenly remembered that France, where he had choices of real estate investment is the Satan.

The writer is one of Paul Biya's cronies and was one of those that hid behind Biya and denied Ni John Fru Ndi the mandate Cameroonian gave him in 1992, only to turn up to lecture us by twisting history. Whenever corrupt African rulers wants to justify their sit tight syndrome, they will play the colonial card and this won't be the last.

violent:

What i need someone to explain to me however is that[b] if the results of the elections are constitutionally void as claimed by the writer based on non declaration withing a 72 hour time frame, on what basis, does the Constitutional Council declare Gbagbo as the winner of the elections?[/b]

I believe this is the one million dollar question.

The question I want to ask is this: Why would the UN Observer be the one to decide who he thinks has won the elections and not Ivorian institutions?

Lets cast our minds back to the US elections of 2000 where Gore won the popular votes but Bush won the electoral college. Would Americans have taken it if the UN Observer should declare Gore the winner since he got the majority votes? The truth is, sovereign states should be accorded their rights.

It was insulting for Sarkozy to issue a 48 hours ultimatum to a country;s President to vacate. As much as I dislike GEJ, if Sarkozy should insult him penren, I would take up arms on his behalf.

Why would the International Community want to override the country's Constitutional Council? And why declare a winner in the HQ of one of the candidates? Make I ask una, if Iwu had declared Yar'adua winner in the PDP campaign HQ, una go accept that kind of result?

Akainzo:

Why would the International Community want to override the country's Constitutional Council? And why declare a winner in the HQ of one of the candidates? Make I ask una, if Iwu had declared Yar'adua winner in the PDP campaign HQ, una go accept that kind of result?

First and foremost you have to ask why the country's constitutional council decided to override the decision of the INDEPENDENT electoral commission which the country's own constitution leaves the responsibility of conducting elections and collating the results for final announcement?

I mean if the Constitutional council had not done what it had, and then decided against protocol to announce Gbagbo as president, we would not have this situation today.

violent:

This is a good write up!

What i need someone to explain to me however is that if the results of the elections are constitutionally void as claimed by the writer based on non declaration withing a 72 hour time frame, on what basis, does the Constitutional Council declare Gbagbo as the winner of the elections?

The election results are not constitutionally void, just that the CEI has lost the authority to declare the results and thus that power now resides with the Constitutional Council.  

If you recall in 1993, the court stopped Prof Nwosu from declaring a winner, not that the results of that election was not known, just that it was not declared. Why this was able to scuttle our democracy was because the electoral act specifically said NECON is the one to declare the result. Anybody or any other institution cannot declare the result.

Kobojunkie:

First and foremost you have to ask why the country's constitutional council decided to override the decision of the INDEPENDENT electoral commission which the country's own constitution leaves the responsibility of conducting elections and collating the results for final announcement? 

I mean if the Constitutional council had not done what it had, and then decided against protocol to announce Gbagbo as president, we would not have this situation today.

For clarity, the constitutional council did it's constitutional duty, to step in after a stipulated time period.
If the CEI had announced its result within the 72 hour period, there wouldn't have been an issue. Note that elections are driven by acts which stipulates certain guidelines and deadlines. Why do you think there are two versions of the electoral act currently in circulation in Nigeria? The reason is there is a deadline for voter registration which is you fall foul of, any elections conducted under it would be null and void.

No matter what happens, you cannot be [b]independent [/b]and [size=14pt]announce result at the campaign headquarters of a candidate[/size]. BTW, how can you then proove that the announced result was genuine?

Akainzo:

For clarity, the constitutional council did it's constitutional duty, to step in after a stipulated time period.
If the CEI had announced its result within the 72 hour period, there wouldn't have been an issue. Note that elections are driven by acts which stipulates certain guidelines and deadlines.

The constitutional council did its duty by stepping in after the stipulated period. That is not being disputed in any way. However, the action it took in response is what is being disputed here.

Akainzo:

No matter what happens, you cannot be [b]independent [/b]and [size=14pt]announce result at the campaign headquarters of a candidate[/size]. BTW, how can you then proove that the announced result was genuine?

Well, here’s another question for you. Since the constitutional council's tweak and final result was based on the initial questionable results from the IEC, why are you willing to consider it more genuine than the IEC version? Why didn't the constitutional council simply throw the results out as suggested in the cote'divore constitution or demand a recount or something more legal than what the magic it performed to declare Gbagbo winner?

Dede1:

The issue of Ivory Coast is a brazen example of neo-colonialism swiping across African content all in the deceitful frame of “New World Order”. 
Did you inquire why France, USA, EU and UN brought the so-called president of the Independent Electoral Commission, Mr Youssouf Bakayoko, to the Hôtel du Golf, the campaign headquarters of Mr Ouattara, facing the foreign press, including France 24, in order to declare wrongful results?
 

Wrongful Results? how do you even know that?

The situation in Ivory Coast boils down to this:

Gbagbo has ruled Ivory Coast for ten years, five of which he earned by continually postponing general elections. On October 31, 2010, elections were held in which the turn-out was 80%.

In the first round, Conan Bedie had 25%, Alassane Ouattara had 32% and Laurent Gbagbo had 38%. U.N. mission chief Y.J. Choi was required to sign off on the results according to the accords reached to end the political deadlock that followed the civil war in 2002-2003.

It is instructive to note that Gbagbo accepted the results of the first round without protest.  In the second round of voting Konan Bedie threw in his support for Alassane Ouattara, and this singular act by itself portended defeat for Gbagbo.

The second round was generally successful and the electoral process was proclaimed by the international observers as generally free and fair. But trouble began to brew with the declaration of results by the Independent Electoral Commission. After several delays, an attempt by the electoral commission to announce the results was interrupted when a supporter of Gbagbo ripped the papers into pieces before the media cameras.

Afterwards, the commission was frustrated from announcing the results on several occasions until on the 28 of November, when at the Golf Hotel, the commission announced to the whole world that Alassane Ouattara had won by over 54% as against Gbagbo’s 46%.

The following day, the Constitutional Council of Ivory Coast, headed by a staunch supporter of Laurent Gbagbo, overturned the results after cancelling half a million votes belonging to Ouattara, and giving Gbagbo 51% percent victory. Gbagbo then swore himself in office for another five year term.

I don't see neo colonialism here! What i see here is a power drunk fella bent on riding on the tails of neo colonialism to prove he's just a victim of western political interference

Akainzo:

For clarity, the constitutional council did it's constitutional duty, to step in after a stipulated time period.
If the CEI had announced its result within the 72 hour period, there wouldn't have been an issue. Note that elections are driven by acts which stipulates certain guidelines and deadlines. Why do you think there are two versions of the electoral act currently in circulation in Nigeria? The reason is there is a deadline for voter registration which is you fall foul of, any elections conducted under it would be null and void.

No matter what happens, you cannot be [b]independent [/b]and [size=14pt]announce result at the campaign headquarters of a candidate[/size]. BTW, how can you then proove that the announced result was genuine?

The constitutional council's duty and integrity here is what is in question, the committee cancelled half a million freaking votes just to push Gbagbo into the 51% landmark!

It's a clear case of moving the goal post.

Akainzo:

The question I want to ask is this: Why would the UN Observer be the one to decide who he thinks has won the elections and not Ivorian institutions?

It's been a gentleman's agreement that U.N. mission chief Y.J. Choi is required to sign off on election results according to the accords reached to end the political deadlock that followed the civil war in 2002-2003, which left the north of the country in rebels hands.

It was insulting for Sarkozy to issue a 48 hours ultimatum to a country;s President to vacate. As much as I dislike GEJ, if Sarkozy should insult him penren, I would take up arms on his behalf.

It became necessary to oust any leader that choses to hold onto power against the wish of the populace, a situation which could lead to a civil outbreak and as usual, france being the former colonial country will be required to send in troops to restore peace to the place.
The use of Ultimatum is not a new thing in settling International disputes in today's political climate. . .how many times has ultimatums been issued from south Korea to North Korea and vice versa? should we talk about the number of times Israel has issued ultimatums has well?

Why would the International Community want to override the country's Constitutional Council?

An international community will attempt to overide a country's Constitutional Council in cases where the lines of democracy has been breached. If it was true as alleged that Gbagbo actually cheated along with his pal, a president of the Constitutional Council, than it will be cowardly of the rest of the world to just fold arms and watch a dictator rule Ivorians against their wishes!

where in the world do you cancel half a million votes?

violent:

Wrongful Results? how do you even know that?

The situation in Ivory Coast boils down to this:

Gbagbo has ruled Ivory Coast for ten years, five of which he earned by continually postponing general elections. On October 31, 2010, elections were held in which the turn-out was 80%.

In the first round, Conan Bedie had 25%, Alassane Ouattara had 32% and Laurent Gbagbo had 38%. U.N. mission chief Y.J. Choi was required to sign off on the results according to the accords reached to end the political deadlock that followed the civil war in 2002-2003.

It is instructive to note that Gbagbo accepted the results of the first round without protest. In the second round of voting Konan Bedie threw in his support for Alassane Ouattara, and this singular act by itself portended defeat for Gbagbo.

The second round was generally successful and the electoral process was proclaimed by the international observers as generally free and fair. But trouble began to brew with the declaration of results by the Independent Electoral Commission. After several delays, an attempt by the electoral commission to announce the results was interrupted when a supporter of Gbagbo ripped the papers into pieces before the media cameras.

Afterwards, the commission was frustrated from announcing the results on several occasions until on the 28 of November, when at the Golf Hotel, the commission announced to the whole world that Alassane Ouattara had won by over 54% as against Gbagbo’s 46%.

The following day, the Constitutional Council of Ivory Coast, headed by a staunch supporter of Laurent Gbagbo, overturned the results after cancelling half a million votes belonging to Ouattara, and giving Gbagbo 51% percent victory. Gbagbo then swore himself in office for another five year term.

I don't see neo colonialism here! What i see here is a power drunk fella bent on riding on the tails of neo colonialism to prove he's just a victim of western political interference

I do not care if Laurent Gbagbo has ruled Ivory Coast for twenty (20) years as long as the Ivory Coast’s constitution stipulates his stay in power.

The problems of Africans include lack of integrity and penchant to circumvent constituted process. As you stated Konan Bedie was candidate for first round and should remain a candidate for second.

If Konan Bedie tends to drop out of election midway, every vote accrued by his candidature must be disqualified. The primordial idea of a candidate being coached to support another candidate after first round of election is unacceptable in any society.

Dede1:


I do not care if Laurent Gbagbo has ruled Ivory Coast for twenty (20) years as long as the Ivory Coast’s constitution stipulates his stay in power.

The problems of Africans include lack of integrity and penchant to circumvent constituted process. As you stated Konan Bedie was candidate for first round and should remain a candidate for second.

If Konan Bedie tends to drop out of election midway, every vote accrued by his candidature must be disqualified. The primordial idea of a candidate being coached to support another candidate after first round of election is unacceptable in any society. 

dude,. . Konan Bedie has a right to make his own informed choices and that, he did!. . . .The second round was simply and strictly between  Laurent Gbagbo and Alassane Ouattara, the fact that Konan now supports Bedie should not be a basis when deciding the winner, it's a common thing for parties to merge and consolidate powers during elections  . . .you don't just disqualify votes like that, those votes weren't made by robots!!!

Konan's supporters just like other Ivorians have a democratically protected right to have their votes counted, and they made their choices to vote this time, neither Konan nor Gagbo, but Ouattara.

which part of it is unacceptable?

violent:

dude,. . Konan Bedie has a right to make his own informed choices and that, he did!. . . .The second round was simply and strictly between Laurent Gbagbo and Alassane Ouattara, the fact that Konan now supports Bedie should not be a basis when deciding the winner, it's a common thing for parties to merge and consolidate powers during elections . . .you don't just disqualify votes like that, those votes weren't made by robots!!!

Konan's supporters just like other Ivorians have a democratically protected right to have their votes counted, and they made their choices to vote this time, neither Konan nor Gagbo, but Ouattara.

which part of it is unacceptable?

Again the penchant to circumvent any process in Africa is depthless. I guess the Ivory Coast is living under presidential system not parliamentary system where coalition is arranged aftermath. The child’s play by Konan Bedie can never be tolerated in well behaved society. If Konan Bedie’s so-called supporters have the same boorish behavior like their candidate, I can comfortably say certain rights are privileges that can be denied.

Kobojunkie:


http://abidjan.usembassy.gov/ivoirian_constitution2.html

Please explain the essence of this reference such as “the election of the President of the Republic is acquired by an absolute majority of the suffrage expressed” within Article 36 of the Ivorian Constitution. There was an absolute majority in the first round of the election unless the phrase is referring to a certain threshold.

This is a quote from a previous post by violent thus “Gbagbo has ruled Ivory Coast for ten years, five of which he earned by continually postponing general elections. On October 31, 2010, elections were held in which the turn-out was 80%. In the first round, Conan Bedie had 25%, Alassane Ouattara had 32% and Laurent Gbagbo had 38%.”

If you do Math, you should realize there is more in this Ivorian convoluted election and its results than eyes could see. It was allegedly gathered that 80% turn-out for election yet the summation of results showed 95%.

Without any equivocation, I should say the second result that was announced from Hotel Du Golf, stating Alassane Ouattara had won by over 54% as against Gbagbo’s 46% was internationally staged fraud. It indicates that there was 100% turn-out during the second round.

Dede1:


I do not care if Laurent Gbagbo has ruled Ivory Coast for twenty (20) years as long as the Ivory Coast’s constitution stipulates his stay in power.

The Ivory Coast constitution chairman = Gbagbo's friend Paul Yao Ndre.
the person who makes constitutional decisions does not represent the people.
I'm sure if I'm an Ivorian, I don't want my president ruling for 20 yrs. Thats a DICTATOR not a president. What kind of constitution justifies this?

the write up annoys me for the same reason many people have pointed out. Also, no where does it talk about the wants and decisions of the Ivorian people although these are the people who matter the most.
what it seems to be saying is that Paul Yao Ndre's decision is the ultimate. constitutional power is vested on the decision and opinion of this man with "anointing powers". The whole farce is ridiculous.

Jenifa_:

The Ivory Coast constitution chairman = Gbagbo's friend Paul Yao Ndre.
the person who makes constitutional decisions does not represent the people.
I'm sure if I'm an Ivorian, I don't want my president ruling for 20 yrs. Thats a DICTATOR not a president. What kind of constitution justifies this?

the write up annoys me for the same reason many people have pointed out. Also, no where does it talk about the wants and decisions of the Ivorian people although these are the people who matter the most.
what it seems to be saying is that Paul Yao Ndre's decision is the ultimate. constitutional power is vested on the decision and opinion of this man with "anointing powers". The whole farce is ridiculous.

I would not want my president to rule for 20 years either. However, the stipulation of a country’s constitution and the manner of the majority would have more to say to it than a lone voice.

But you failed to tell us that the wife of Alassane Ouattara is a French woman hence France’s support for her husband has a string attached.

to know who won, you just find out if the supporters of Konan Bedie voted for gbagbo or Quatarra, .

this is the ivory coast election result map. Please Judge for yourself. Who won.

Dede1:


But you failed to tell us that the wife of Alassane Ouattara is a French woman hence France’s support for her husband has a string attached.

My guess is that his long career in IMF has helped him garner this support. Also, these international bodies do not support Gbagbo's presidency so opposition was probably welcome as a result.

but seriously though, why would you tear up the result of an election in front of cameras and prevent the result from being aired and not expect opposition from the international community?

To me, the best solution is to conduct the elections over again. no rigging. but is that possible?

Dede1:

Please explain the essence of this reference such as “the election of the President of the Republic is acquired by an absolute majority of the suffrage expressed” within Article 36 of the Ivorian Constitution. There was an absolute majority in the first round of the election unless the phrase is referring to a certain threshold.

There was no absolute majority as the constitution has a, I believe, 50 > % requirement for the winner. In the first round, none of the candidates was able to get that many votes, hence the reason for the second round, as stipulated in the constitution.

Dede1:

This is a quote from a previous post by violent thus “Gbagbo has ruled Ivory Coast for ten years, five of which he earned by continually postponing general elections. On October 31, 2010, elections were held in which the turn-out was 80%. In the first round, Conan Bedie had 25%, Alassane Ouattara had 32% and Laurent Gbagbo had 38%.”

You have this wrong.
@Violent only gave you info on the top 3 candidates and the results. You can get the complete list here to see how it really does add up to 100%
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivorian_presidential_election,_2010

Dede1:

If you do Math, you should realize there is more in this Ivorian convoluted election and its results than eyes could see. It was allegedly gathered that 80% turn-out for election yet the summation of results showed 95%.

Turnout had no effect on the other.

Dede1:

Without any equivocation, I should say the second result that was announced from Hotel Du Golf, stating Alassane Ouattara had won by over 54% as against Gbagbo’s 46% was internationally staged fraud. It indicates that there was 100% turn-out during the second round.

But the third result was based on the numbers compiled for the second. So why aren’t you also screaming that the final result was also of an internationally staged fraud?