Ouattara surprised everybody during his state of the nation speech on Thursday in Yamoussoukro in which he addressed both MPs and senators. Cote d’Ivoire’s president spent around half an hour detailing his achievements over the past nine years.
“I gave the best of myself because I love my country,” said Ouattara. “I certainly didn’t achieve everything, but the results are evident, our country shines,” he added.
He admitted that proposed changes to the constitution that he intends to bring about did raise “suspicion” because such changes have frequently been used to remain in power or “to exclude political adversaries” from elections. However, he said his proposed changes had nothing to do with such practice. The revision to the 2016 constitution he outlined on Thursday only revealed minor legal adjustments.
“I solemnly announce to you that I’ve decided not to be a candidate in the presidential election,” Ouattara told lawmakers, interrupted several times by applause. He added that he would be transferring power to the “younger generation”.
“I also want to assure the conditions for a democratic handover of power from one elected president to another for the first time in our history,” said Ouattara.
The opposition welcomed Ouattara’s announcement, notably the Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire - African Democratic Rally (PDCI-RDA) party of Henri Konan Bédié, thought to be one of the possible contenders in this year’s presidential race.
“It’s one of the rare times when I welcome a decision by President Alassane Ouattara,” said Kouadio Konan Bertin, an advisor to Bédié.
Who will replace Ouattara?
All eyes now turn to Cote d’Ivoire’s Prime Minister Amadou Gon Coulibaly who is thought to be Ouattara’s choice to succeed him as head of the ruling Rally of Houphouëtists for Democracy and Peace (RHDP) party. Coulibaly is seen by many as a technocrat, much like Ouattara, but without the same charisma.
Eurasia Group, a New York-based political risk consultancy, believed that Ouattara was using the possibility of a third term to exert control over his party and the succession process.
“He is now ready to groom his preferred successor, likely Prime Minister Amadou Gon Coulibaly, for the top job,” said Eurasia Group in a note, judging that the polls “will be relatively peaceful” with pre or post-election unrest “unlikely”.
Coulibaly has already somewhat taken centre stage over recent months going up and down the country opening schools and taking part in ceremonies for electrification projects or drinking water pumps.
However, with elections fast approaching other players are starting to come out of the woodwork for the RHDP candidacy such as Marcel Amon-Tanoh, foreign affairs minister, or Albert Mabri Toikeusse, higher education minister. The RHDP must soon start a process for finding Ouattara’s successor and decide when it will hold primaries.
Ouattara came to power following a brief civil war when his predecessor Laurent Gbagbo refused to concede defeat. Some 3,000 people died in the violence.
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