Ivory Coast President Ouattara wins third term amid controversy

 

The President of Ivory Coast, Alassane Ouattara has been declared winner of the presidential poll.

 

Ibrahime Coulibaly-Kuibiert, head of the electoral commission, made the announcement in a broadcast Tuesday morning.

 

The commission said the incumbent got 94.27 percent of the votes in Saturday’s election. Turnout was low; 53.9 percent of registered voters showed up.

 

The victory means Ouattara has secured a third term of another five years in office. The high margin has been attributed to his main opponents’ boycott.

 

They told their supporters to stay away after repeated argument – including a legal battle – that Ouattara should have been disqualified from seeking a third term.

 

Ouattara, who contested after his party’s candidate died in July, insists he was eligible to continue after two terms in power.

 

The 78-year-old cited the constitutional referendum passed in 2016 and his love for the country as part of reasons he joined the race.

 

There are fears of post-election violence. More than 3,000 people died in in 2010 and 2011 when former President, Laurent Gbagbo refused to concede defeat to Ouattara.