Ivory Coast president set to announce whether he will seek a fourth term

Speaking at a rally in Abidjan on Sunday, Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara said that in the coming days, he will announce whether he will run for a fourth term in the country’s 25 October election.

His message to tens of thousands of supporters came a day after he was officially nominated as candidate by the ruling Rally of Houphouetists for Democracy and Peace party.

The announcement followed weeks of rising political tension  triggered by a court ruling excluding several opposition politicians.

Ouattara, who has led the Ivory Coast since 2011, is accused by his critics of tightening his grip on power.

His supporters see him as a beacon of stability, having made his career as an economist for the International Monetary Fund before turning to politics.

On Thursday, the two main opposition parties, the African People’s Party of Ivory Coast (PPACI) and the Democratic Party of Ivory Coast (PDCI), launched a joint campaign to demand the reinstatement of their barred leaders.

The PPACI is led by former President Laurent Gbagbo, while the PDCI, the country’s largest opposition force, is headed by former international banker Tidjane Thiam.

Both leaders were struck from electoral list by the court, Gbagbo due to a criminal conviction and Thiam over a nationality issue.

Ivory Coast has a history of election-related violence.

In 2010, a dispute over Ouattara’s victory led to about 3,000 deaths in clashes with Gbagbo supporters.