In a week, the National Assembly of Côte d'Ivoire will elect its president. Alassane Ouattara is trying to find the ideal profile for this position.
On April 1, the Ivorian deputies elected during the legislative of March 6 will elect their President of the National Assembly. Led so far by Amadou Soumahoro, the Assembly should find a new RHDP boss, with Alassane Ouattara's Rassemblement des houphouëtistes pour la democratie et la paix having won the majority of the seats.
During the very first parliamentary session, which will therefore take place in a week's time, the name of the president should be known even before the vote. Because it is the President of the Republic Alassane Ouattara who will designate Soumahoro's successor. Adama Bictogo, executive secretary of the majority party, affirms that the head of state "will have the last word" and that "the discipline of the party will prevail, whatever his choice".
In other words, before the puzzle of the prime minister - will Ouattara keep his interim prime minister or will he change his tune? -, the President of the Republic must draw from the very reduced list of his allies to find who will be one of the most important men in the country.
Indeed, according to article 40 of the Ivorian Constitution, “in the event of the vacancy of the Presidency of the Republic by death, resignation, absolute incapacity, the interim of the President of the Republic is assured by the President of the National Assembly. ”For a period of up to 90 days.
Amadou Soumahoro candidate for his own succession
For Alassane Ouattara, we must therefore make the right choice. And several names are circulating… If “ADO” for a time thought of Gilbert Koné Kafana, he must review his copy, the candidate of Yopougon having lost his place against the Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire and Ensemble pour la democratie et la sovereignty, which had united under the aegis of Michel Gbagbo.
Cards reshuffled, the race to succeed Amadou Soumahoro therefore continues. The profile sought is clear: you need a strong man, who has banter and who knows how to counter the assaults of the deputies of the FPI of Gbagbo and of the PDCI of Bédié.
And the one who will let the president choose, Adama Bictogo, seems to be in pole position. One of the few trusted men of Alassane Ouattara indeed has the ideal profile. Close to the president, he would be his eyes and ears in the National Assembly. He also has a real influence on the base of the RHDP. But behind the scenes, we are also talking about Anne Désiré Ouloto. Current minister of the government, she also has an important place in the RHDP and succeeded in uniting the voters around her candidacy in a region which was rather hostile to the presidential party.
Other outsiders could also be in the race for the presidency of the Assembly, including a man who knows the house well: Amadou Soumahoro himself. If he has been ill for a while - and even announced for death - the current president of the National Assembly has not said his last word. If Alassane Ouattara played the card of continuity, the elected representative would be ready to resume for a new term. Soumahoro would also be in the midst of an operation to seduce the RHDP executives so that they plead his cause to the Head of State.