The return of former President Laurent Gbagbo to his native Cote d’Ivoire, “is now a matter of weeks”, a top political ally said on Thursday.
Gbagbo is on parole in Belgium.
Assoa Adou, the secretary general of the pro-Gbagbo opposition Front Populaire Ivoirien (FPI) said the ex president’s homecoming w would happen sooner rather than later.
The FPI have been championing for his return with the slogan ‘Gbagbo ou Rien’ (Gbagbo or Nothing).
“Gbagbo is coming. Now his return is a matter of weeks. It is a huge victory. For us, his presence is absolutely necessary,” said Mr. Assoa during the official launch of 33 information and mobilization missions across Cote d’Ivoire, as part of preparations for Mr. Gbagbo’s homecoming and the mobilization of party members for the March 6 legislative elections.
This announcement of Mr. Gbagbo’s imminent return to Côte d’Ivoire comes the day after a meeting between Mr. Assoa and Ivorian Prime Minister Hamed Bakayoko.
Assoa said the talks revolved around practical arrangements for the return of the former president.
According to the secretary general of ‘FPI-GOR,’ these 33 missions which will be deployed in the country until January 10 have a dual objective.
He described the first of these as “absolute necessity,” for former president Gbagbo’s return.
For these delegations, it will therefore be a question of mobilizing supporters from within the country with a view to making the return of Mr. Gbagbo a “national cause.”
He added that the second objective assigned to the party missions, is to mobilize its militants for the legislative elections next March in which ‘FPI GOR’ intends to participate.
“MPs have great power. That is why we must do everything to have members of Parliament even in these difficult conditions. We have to fight to have MPs,” he emphasised.
Mr. Assoa, whose party is a member of a political platform with the Democratic Party of Cote d’Ivoire (PDCI, ex-ally in power) said that the two parties PDCI-FPI) “are moving towards a common campaign” for the upcoming legislative elections.
He stressed that the final candidacies of his party will be agreed with their ally, PDCI.
“This campaign that we are going to start is very important. Let’s go to the elections to win the majority in the national assembly,” he urged.
The election of deputies to the Ivorian parliament is scheduled for March 6.
The candidacies for this election are submitted to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) over the period from 04 to 20 January 2020.
LB/ls/fss/as/APA