Cotedivoire: Five Candidates Cleared, Considered Weak to Challenge President Quatara’s 4th Term Contest

 Abubakar Hashim

 

President of Cotedivoire’s constitutional council, Chantal Nanaba Camara, on Monday, 8 September 2025, cleared five presidential candidates for the forthcoming October 25 elections.

Incumbent President Allasane Quatara, Madam Simone Gbagbo, Jean Louis Billon, Ahoua Don Melo and Herrietta Lagou.

Former President Laurent Gbagbo and renowned opposition fighter, Tidjane Thiam, are barred from contesting over the eligibility criteria.

The campaign starts today, September 10, 2025, with election day on October 25, 2025.

The current candidates cleared by the constitutional council are considered too weak to challenge the 4th term of Qatar’s.

Quatara, 83, first came to power in 2010, defeating Laurent Gbagbo, in an election that snowballed into a civil war, huge numbers of deaths and displacements, and lots of properties destroyed.

Quatara won a 2nd term. He anointed his former Prime Minister, Amadou Coulibaly, to succeed him, but Coulibaly died in mysterious circumstances before the elections.

The constitutional term limits were cleverly amended in 2016 to clear Quatara for a 3rd term bid. He succeeded.

Now, he is contesting for a 4th term, using the same ploy, stating that “ I’m cleared by the law and I’m fit and healthy”.

What lies ahead is a dangerous journey in the West African Region, with Allasane Quatara, now in the same category as Cameroon’s Paul Biya.