Guillaume Soro, a former prime minister who was prevented from voting in presidential elections, calls on the military not to obey President Alassane Ouattara.
An influential former rebel leader has advised the Ivory Coast Army to mutiny and support a rival breakaway government following a controversial presidential election that the opposition said was illegal.
According to the election commission, President Alassane Ouattara won the election with 94 percent of the vote.
However, the opposition boycotted the vote, arguing that Ouattara’s offer for a third term exceeded a legal two-term limit and undermined the country’s democratic process.
Riot geared police surrounded the homes of two of Ouattara’s main competitors on Wednesday after the government accused them of rioting of creating a parallel administration despite Saturday’s declaration of victory.
A supporter of the opposition parties shouted “Ivory Coast” during a protest after security forces blocked access to the home of former President Henri Konan Bedie in Abidjan [Leo Correa/AP]Guillaume Soro, who led the rebels who brought Ouattara to power during that war, but whose relationship with the president has since deteriorated, posted a message on Facebook Wednesday night urging the army to join the opposition government.
“Let us now turn to our security and defense forces … I ask you not to obey illegal orders and to join the national transition council,” he said. “We cannot allow a dictatorship in Ivory Coast by Alassane Ouattara out of fear.”
It was unclear whether there would be a response to the statement late Wednesday, but it added to tensions that many may fear destabilizing a region torn by political turmoil.
The stalemate has raised concerns about the instability of the world’s top cocoa producer, which killed 3,000 people in a civil war in 2010-2011 following a controversial election between Ouattara and his predecessor Laurent Gbagbo.
Over 40 people died in clashes during this parliamentary term.
The United Nations Refugee Agency said more than 3,200 people fled to neighboring Liberia, Ghana and Togo for fear of violence.
In neighboring Guinea, a similar electoral crisis in which President Alpha Conde won a third term last month caused rioting in which dozens were killed.
Guinea also has a two-time limit, but like Ouattara said Conde, a recent amendment to the constitution has allowed him to restart his mandate.
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