Ivorian opposition call for boycott of vote on new constitution

Main Ivorian opposition party and its allies on Friday called for a boycott of the referendum vote on October 30 to approve the new constitution proposed by President Alassane Ouattara.

The Alliance of Democratic Forces Ivory Coast (AFD-CI) and the Ivorian Popular Front (FPI) made the call during a press conference in the capital Abidjan.

“We call on all our supporters and our compatriots not to be part of what is going to happen on October 30. We are boycotting it,” the leader of allied opposition group AFD-CI and president of main opposition party FPI, Pascal Affi Nguessan announced.

A rival FPI leader Abu Drahamane Sangaré, who is at odds with the president had already called for a boycott.

“We have withheld our votes for the upcoming elections. We call for a massive mobilization before parliament so that the FPI and the AFD-CI can have one legal and political voice to cancel what will happen on October 30 and implement a draft constitution that is founded on peace, national unity, democracy and social and economic progress,” Affi Nguessan added.

President Ouattara has said that the new constitution will turn the page of the country by ending the crisis that have shaken the country.

The new constitution creates the position of vice president who will be elected at the same time as the president and the senate which one third of members will be appointed by the president.

It also a new term for the president which will be five years and renewable once. It also removes the maximum age limit of 75 years to be a candidate and provides that the president is re-elected only once.