Ivorian opposition leader Tidjane Thiam has been re-elected as President of the Democratic Party of Côte d’Ivoire – African Democratic Rally (PDCI-RDA), following his resignation on 11 May.
The election took place during the party’s 9th extraordinary congress, held on Wednesday in Abidjan. Thiam secured a landslide victory, receiving 5,190 out of 5,202 valid votes – a remarkable 99.77% approval. Voter turnout was notably high, with 5,211 members casting ballots out of 5,622 registered delegates, translating to a 92.69% participation rate. The organisers reported 9 invalid ballots and 12 left blank.
The candidacy of Diakité Bouakary Sidiki, a party activist, was disqualified for failing to meet key requirements outlined in the party’s statutes. He was not a member of the Political Bureau and had not paid the 30 million CFA francs contribution needed to help fund the extraordinary congress.
Thiam, a former international banker and widely seen as a leading opposition figure, is considered the main challenger to President Alassane Ouattara.
However, his bid for national leadership has faced challenges, including controversy over his dual Ivorian-French nationality, which has led to questions over his eligibility to run for the Ivorian presidency.
