What's new: the presidential postponement in Côte d'Ivoire because of the coronavirus

Audio 04:28

By: Norbert Navarro

Publicity

In Côte d'Ivoire, the presidential election could be postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. In other words, the ballot would then be delayed.

This is what the letter of the continent recently stated . "  On April 8, in the full council of ministers, President Alassane Ouattara raised the hypothesis of a postponement of two to six months of the presidential election, currently set for October 31, 2020  ", stated this newspaper.

Alassane Ouattarra is "  in the middle of a dilemma over the postponement of the poll  ", now confirms Jeune Afrique . "  Initially completely closed to the idea of ​​postponing the presidential election scheduled for October 31, the Ivorian head of state has relaxed his position in the face of the evolution of the Covid-19 pandemic  ," said this Pan-African newspaper, according to which the Ivorian head of state subsequently "  confided to one of his relatives that he could still consider postponing the poll to allow the recruitment operations to take place." However, he clarified that he wanted for the moment that the first round be held before the end of 2020  ", adds Jeune Afrique.

Significant information that continues this morning to agitate part of the press in Côte d'Ivoire and beyond

On the front page of the newspaper Le Nouveau Réveil , the PDCI executive secretary hammered him: “  With the Covid-19, identification exposes populations to the risk of contamination. We must suspend the failed identification process and strengthen the protection of Ivorians,  ”urges Maurice Kakou Guikahué.

On its front page, the newspaper Le Bélier is even more concise: " the PDCI demands an outright cessation " of the identification process, he says.

As the Africa site points to 7 , "  enrollment for the new National Identity Card and the Revision of the electoral list (are) undermined  ". And this online newspaper sees there "  already indications which indicate that the holding of this poll on the date initially envisaged is biased at the base  ". Which leads Africa out of 7 to wonder about the “  impossible holding of the Presidential election in October?  "

Unanswered questions also asked by the Business Actuality site . “  Will the elections take place on October, wonders this online newspaper? Who would benefit from this postponement? Would the opposition demand a transition? "

In Mali, on the other hand, the second round of the legislative elections is maintained this Sunday

The coronavirus? The war ? The main opponent removed? In the eyes of the executive, these calamities could not clearly justify postponing this election.

And the Malikile newspaper prefers to laugh about it than to cry. This colleague, however, anything but satirical publishes a parody of the Malian president's speech resembling a kind of April Fool whose hilarious content is impossible to report here, because we are no longer on April 1.

But without risking more, the newspaper Mali Actu still wonders whether the continuation of the poll on Sunday is "  reckless  " or "  inconsistent state  ".

In neighboring Burkina Faso, on the other hand, the daily Wakat Sera does not hesitate. And this morning, he baptized the Malian president Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta "do  n't care about death  ". And not that death, moreover, the participation rate, IBK "  does not care participation rate, he cares madly like his first boubou  ", indignant this Ouagadougou newspaper.

Burkina, let's stay there. To an extremely tense security situation was added a worsening health situation, without neglecting the humanitarian situation. Nothing is going well anymore in Burkina

"  Like a ship in a storm  ", Burkina "  sway  ", says L'Observateur Paalga . Because today, this country is "  the most affected  " of the G5 Sahel by the coronavirus. As this Ouagadougou daily sums up, "  the Covid-19 kills, terrorists too  " and the G5 Sahel countries must now face "  and the security and health emergencies born of this plague of the 21st century. Worse, in the camps for internally displaced people in Burkina, (…) there is a humanitarian emergency to report  , ”laments L'Observateur Paalga . As a result, Burkina Faso "  holds its breath in front of the security, health and humanitarian dangers which assail it in a veritable destabilizing storm of its development projects  ".

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• Ivory Coast
• Alassane Ouattara
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