Thousands of ruling party supporters gathered in Abidjan on Sunday to endorse President Alassane Ouattara’s expected bid for re-election in October.
This rally precedes a party congress next week likely to confirm his candidacy.
Political tensions have recently escalated in Ivory Coast after four opposition leaders were disqualified from the upcoming presidential election.
The governing Rally of Houphouetists for Democracy and Peace (RHDP) held the gathering in Yopougon, a working-class district of Abidjan, concluding weeks of local meetings.
The party has expressed unanimous support for Ouattara, in power since 2011, to seek a fourth term.
Former Prime Minister Patrick Achi publicly backed “ADO,” Ouattara’s initials, as their candidate, stating he would take Ivory Coast “to another level.”
Ouattara, 83, has not yet declared his candidacy but said in January he was “eager to continue serving his country.”
The rally followed a Saturday protest by opposition supporters in Abidjan, who denounced candidate disqualifications and demanded an inclusive vote.
Tidjane Thiam, Laurent Gbagbo, Charles Ble Goude, and Guillaume Soro were barred due to nationality concerns or past convictions.
The government maintains it has no influence over judicial decisions.
The RHDP congress is scheduled for June 21-22, culminating in a mass rally at Ebimpe Stadium.
