In 2010, an estimated 3,000 people were slaughtered in Ghana’s western neighbour, Ivory Coast, following a disputed election that eventually brought the current president, Alassane Ouattara, to power. Though Ouattara, according to international observers, had won the election, the then President Lauren Gbagbo refused to accept defeat, resulting in a civil war.
In the end, France, which still has a semblance of control over its former colonies, had to intervene to remove Gbagbo from power. Prior to these controversies, the Gbagbo administration had accused Ouatarra of hailing from Burkina Faso, and, therefore, not qualified to contest the presidency in Ivory Coast. The refusal of Gbagbo to hand over power, despite losing the election, could be traced to this claim against Ouatarra.
Finally, Lauren Gbagbo was handed over to the International Criminal Court (ICC) by his successor over alleged crimes against humanity. After spending several years in detention in The Hague, Gbagbo was acquitted and discharged of all the charges levelled against him. He is currently in The Hague awaiting his passport to enable him travel back to Ivory Coast.
Looking at the dangerous path Ivory Coast has trod before recovering from instability, The Chronicle is surprised that President Ouatarra, who handed his opponent over to the ICC, is trying to send his country back to the dark days. The economist and former worker of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has ruled the world’s leading cocoa producer for ten solid years.
He is constitutionally barred from running for the presidency again later this year, but before that could happen, the Pennsylvania University trained economist surprisingly changed the constitution with the sole aim of standing for office again. He, however, backtracked following international condemnation of his conduct, and instead, endorsed his Prime Minister, Amadou Gon Coulibaly, to contest the election slated for October, this year, on the ticket of his party.
In March this year, Ouatarra repeated his pledge to the Ivorian people that he would not seek re-election. “I have decided not to be candidate in the October 31 presidential election and to transfer power to a new generation,” Ouattara said at the time, prompting applause, cheers and gasps from the members of his audience.
But following the death of his chosen successor, Ouatarra has surprisingly reneged on his promise not to contest. In widely publicised speech in the Ivorian capital, Abidjan, last weekend, Ouatarra said: “I have decided to respond favourably to the call of my fellow citizens (to contest the election). Given my previous promise, this decision represents a real sacrifice for me.”
Though the opposition parties say even with the new constitution the President is still barred from contesting, he insists he would go ahead with his plans. As someone who had played instrumental roles at the IMF, one would have thought that Ouatarra is enlightened enough to stop the dangerous journey he is about to embark on, but obsession for power has clouded his level of thinking.
The Chronicle is aware that countries that constitute the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have no power to interfere in the internal politics of member states, but in our view, it will be foolhardy for leaders in the sub-region to sit aloof and allow Ouatarra to plunge Ivory Coast into another political quagmire, as his predecessor, Lauren Gbagbo, also did.
May God forbid, but should Ivory Coast slide back into a state of instability, Ghana will bear the brunt of it, as they are our western neighbours. Even the late President Mills of blessed memory, who said Ghanaians should think about their domestic affairs and not what was happening in Ivory Coast at the time of his presidency, had to fly to the French speaking country on a number of occasions to broker peace.
We insist Ouatarra has taken a perilous decision, and the earlier he is reined in, the better it would be for the West African sub-region. It is our hope that France would also step in and stop Mr Ouatarra in his tracks.
The post Editorial : Alassane Ouattara must be stopped in his tracks appeared first on The Chronicle Online.
Read Full Story
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Instagram
Google+
YouTube
LinkedIn
RSS