AfricaNews: How do you feel seeing your country holding a presidential election at last after multiple postponements?

Venance Konan: I keep my fingers crossed that everything goes peacefully and on time. I can confess I feel reassured that when I put my ballot in the ballot box I would not be surprised by a last-minute manoeuvre to further postpone the election; or some kind of disorders that would give the opportunity to further delay the vote. There are many people who benefit from this situation of “no elections.”

AN: This presidential election is termed by many as a historical event, why do you think people feel this way?

VK: You should know that this is the first truly open presidential election in our country. Since independence in 1960 till 1990 we were under a single party. In 1990, we had just come out of the single party system into multiparty system, when only Laurent Gbagbo (actual president) ran against Felix Houphouet-Boigny (first president –late).

In 1995, there was the active boycott organized by Gbagbo and Alassane Dramane Ouattara (ADO - former prime minister), which saw weak candidates compete against Henri Konan Bédié (who stepped in constitutionally after the death of Houphouet Boigny). In 2000, ADO and Bédié had their candidacies rejected by the constitutional court. But now in 2010, everyone was able to run for president, to the point where we even have a comedian among the candidates. And more so, we have been waiting for this election since 10 years.

AN: Personally, do you think the election will be free and fair?

VK: For the moment nothing indicates to me that it will not be free and fair. I think everyone, including the various candidates and the international community, is vigilant on this point. But let’s get to the end of the process before judging.

AN: There are 14 candidates but we hear mostly of only three: the incumbent President Gbagbo, former President Bédié and former Prime Minister ADO, why?

VK: Because they are the ones who occupy the national scene most. Secondly, these three guys are heads of the three largest parties in the country – PDCI (Bédié), RDR (ADO) and FPI (Gbagbo); and also they have the biggest financial means to run mega campaigns. The remaining eleven are feather weights.

AN: In your opinion, what is the difference between the three principal candidates?

VK: Each of them had, at one time or the other, governed this country; and each somehow represents the main regions and peoples of Côte d'Ivoire. Bédié represents the Akan (one of the largest ethnic groups in Cote D’Ivoire); ADO represents the northern populations; and Gbagbo the big western region. They differ in their style and personal histories. Gbagbo is more populist, while the two others are more reserved.

AN: Does France, former colonial power, have a favorite candidate among the 14?

VK: France has officially indicated through the voice of its Secretary General at the Elysee Palace that it has no preferential candidate. But it is possible French interest groups have their candidates, although I don’t have much information on this.

AN: You said recently in a local newspaper that if Ivorians truly love their country they should not vote for Laurent Gbagbo, do you feel he did not govern very well in the past 10 years?

VK: I sincerely believe that this man is not competent to lead our country. We all see the economic and moral decay Cote D’Ivoire has fallen into. It's all rot. His only argument and excuse is that there has been a war. But for me, the war could have been avoided altogether had he been a little more responsible, since everyone was aware that defectors from the regular army had been training in neighboring Burkina Faso.

His interior minister publicly said then, which he himself repeated on television that, “Whoever attempts to attack the Ivory Coast will get in return rains of bullets on his head.” Can you imagine someone after bragging with such remarks, left his country porous enough to be easily invaded by hundreds of rebels accompanied by traditional hunters? We cannot say it was responsible.

Moreover, the war cannot justify all the murders, the corruption, embezzlement, all of which we have witnessed over the past 10 years during Gbagbo’s regime. See for yourself the state of our schools today, primary, secondary and tertiary have less than 20% of successful candidates. Almost all examinations and diplomas in this country are being paid for. It gives you an idea of our administration. I think if Ivorians are lucid, they should not give this man another term.

AN: Do you think there will be a run-off ballot, or is there a possibility of a candidate winning in the first round? Should there be a run-off what chances does Gbagbo have?

VK: I don’t think any candidate can win in the first round. In the event of a run-off, Gbagbo will lose votes if the opposition bloc known as RHDP unites its votes.

AN: Do you think losers will accept the verdict of the polls?

VK: I hope that these respectable aspirants would choose to make history by accepting their defeat rather than disputing. But it is important that the election be free and fair so it does not give room for contestation.

AN: Public opinion polls give a good lead to Gbagbo, can he finally win?

VN: Personally I never gave much credit to those polls.