APA – Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire) At a press conference on Thursday October 26, 2023, Kafana Kone, Chairman of the Executive Board of the ruling RHDP party, spoke about the results of the recent local elections and the socio-political situation in Côte d’Ivoire, including the ministerial reshuffle.
In response to a journalist’s question about the current president’s candidacy in 2025, Kafana Kone said that one thing should be remembered: the President of the RHDP “remains the natural candidate for the presidential election of 2025.”
“Being a candidate is first and foremost a personal desire. We are more than two years away from the election, and such a question, given that he is halfway through his term of office, does not seem appropriate,” added the chairman of the executive board of the RHDP, the party chaired by Alassane Ouattara.
“As far as we are concerned, we are available, working at his behest and we are committed to ensuring that the RHDP candidate wins in 2025, and the natural candidate is the party president,” insisted Kafana Kone.
The chairman of the RHDP executive board expressed his satisfaction with the party’s success in the regional and municipal council and senatorial elections. The ruling party came out on top in these recent elections.
“This performance reflects the support of the population for the record and the social project of the President of the Republic, the party chairman. These results are a sign of the change in mentality of our fellow citizens, who are attached to the actions and results of public policies,” he noted.
The results announced by the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) gave 123 communes out of 201, or 61.19 percent, to the RHDP, and 25 regional seats out of 30, or 83.3 percent.
In his view, with 20 new communes and seven new regions won, the RHDP has consolidated its leadership position.
The party achieved a growth rate of 15 percent in communes and 23 percent in regions compared to 2018. In the senatorial elections held on 16 September 2023, the RHDP won 56 of the 64 seats, a rate of 87.5 percent.
With regard to the new government, Kafana Kone said that the Executive Board warmly congratulated the heads of institution who have been promoted, as well as the ministers who were members of the Executive Board and who have been reappointed to the government.
The RHDP intends to continue the restructuring work begun on 28 February 2022 by the party president.
The next activities, according to the chairman of the executive board, will focus on speeding up the enrollment of militants and the distribution of voters’ cards, in preparation for 2025.
AP/fss/as/APA