Former banker Tidjane Thiam steps up bid for Ivorian presidency

With just seven months to the election in Ivory Coast, presidential hopeful Tidjane Thiam remains confident, even as concerns linger over his eligibility as a voter.

If invoked by Ivorian authorities, a technicality over Thiam's French citizenship could deny the former Credit Suisse CEO the chance to run for president.

On Monday, the voter's register was published with Thiam's name on it. But this does not guarantee that his candidacy will not be challenged or declined by the Constitutional Court.

While meeting his supporters in Paris on Saturday, Thiam downplayed talk around his eligibility.

''I am very happy, the PDCI is going from strength to strength, everything is going very well, so we're resolute, confident and serene’', he told Africanews.

A coalition of around twenty opposition parties has backed Thiam as its candidate.

With the opposition divided, Thiam has emerged as the leading figure to take on the ruling RHDP party which has not named its candidate for the October election.

President Alassane Ouattara has so far remained tightlipped on whether or not he will seek another term.