Stopping GBAGBO’s horrific democracy blueprint
Mr. President,
On Monday 3rd December 2011, for the fourth time, your envoys would have made the necessary trip to Cote d’Ivoire, to convince former president Laurent Gbagbo to concede victory to Alassane Ouattara. Mr. President, we have every reason to be grateful and pride that, the solution to this major crisis is inspired within Africa itself.
Mr. President, this is an urgent matter. The whole country is at the dawn of a major humanitarian, political, and social crisis. 20.000 people have already fled the country in fear of the upcoming terror.
Mr. President, this is not a case where there are doubts about who the winner of the poll is. This is not a case where, there is uncertainty about whether or not the correct electoral law has been applied. This is certainly not a case where, the final result of the poll is an unexpected one.
Mr. President, we are truly facing a situation where, we can actually congratulate Mr. Laurent Gbagbo for having the patience and courage to organize the most democratic of all elections our country has ever experienced. We are actually proud that for the first time in Africa, the last two candidates submit themselves to a televised debate every African had good reasons to be proud of.
Mr. President, the major problem was accepting the results and Mr. Gbagbo and his close officers failed us in doing this. None of their arguments about trying to reverse the normal course of things stands. We all saw on national TV, a deliberate physical attempt from Mr. Gbagbo’s members within the independent electoral commission, to prevent the results from being published in time. It is unacceptable to every standard of morality to stop something from happening and then claim some benefits from such non occurrence.
Mr. President, should the last general elections have been seriously disrupted, there are provisions in our constitutions (Article 64 of the electoral code) to have the vote retaken within 45 days. The constitutional council, acted unlawfully and partially by inventing new results in lieu of the real result which is clearly 54% for Mr. Ouattara and 45% for Mr. Gbagbo. This is not acceptable and will never be. In the 21st century, no country in Africa should deny popular vote in such manner. Let that not be an electoral template for other African countries.
Mr. President, we don’t like the idea of force. We will do everything to prevent it. But Mr.Gbagbo has also said, clearly and boldly, that only his beliefs count, despite all appeals from the most credible and democratic voices of all continents. This leaves no ground for expression of democracy and human rights for the Ivorian people. In this contest, force is the necessary evil we need. Leading the way in taking such initiative, Mr. president, Nigeria not only gives hope to millions of Ivorians, but it also send a strong message to all unborn dictators that democracy should prevail and dictatorship should fail.
Adama Bakayoko
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