In spite of President Henri Konan Bédié’s warnings, several influential members of the PDCI-RDA, including vice-presidents and members of the political bureau, have decided to run as independent candidates in the 2023 local elections.
In a statement released on Sunday, July 23, 2023, President Bédié issued a warning to the independent candidates from the PDCI-RDA who submitted their candidacy without the party’s approval. The former Ivorian president, staunchly opposing “chaos,” demands that these candidates immediately withdraw their candidacy, otherwise they risk severe sanctions, even total exclusion from the party.
“As the President of the PDCI-RDA, strongly opposed to disorder, I urge them to reconsider and withdraw their candidacy. In case of refusal to comply, they will have to answer for their actions before the Disciplinary Council and face the full force of the law,” Henri Konan Bédié vehemently warned.
Furthermore, President Bédié mentioned that since the beginning of the preparations for the municipal and regional elections, he had supported party cohesion by asking candidates who were rejected to support those elected by the party. He emphasized that he himself, the candidacy committee, and the party’s elders had made efforts for reconciliation, meetings, and personal exchanges.
“Despite my efforts, as well as those of the candidacy committee and the party’s elders, I bitterly observe that some members, including vice-presidents, elected officials, and bodies of the PDCI-RDA, are disregarding their statutory obligations and rules, to which they had freely adhered. These actions demonstrate a blatant defiance of the party’s decisions, despite having submitted their candidacy by submitting their files,” deplored the party’s president.
