Ivory Coast’s President Alassane Ouattara has won a fourth term in office, securing an overwhelming 89.77 percent of votes in the country’s recently concluded presidential election, according to provisional results released Monday by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).
The 83-year-old leader’s victory came as little surprise after several prominent opposition figures were barred from contesting, leaving his challengers with limited support.
His closest rivals, Jean-Louis Billon, a former commerce minister, and Simone Gbagbo, the ex–first lady trailed far behind with 3.09 percent and 2.42 percent of the vote respectively, IEC president Ibrahime Coulibaly-Kuibiert announced.
Billon conceded defeat on Sunday, while Gbagbo has reportedly congratulated Ouattara on his win.
Ouattara, a former IMF deputy managing director, has led the West African nation for nearly 15 years, overseeing a period of steady economic expansion following years of political turmoil.
READ ALSO: Paul Biya Declared Winner Of Cameroon’s Presidential Election
His renewed mandate extends his tenure and places him among the region’s longest-serving leaders.
However, critics questioned the legitimacy of the poll. Tidjane Thiam, the former Credit Suisse CEO and one of the prominent figures disqualified from running, dismissed the process as “not a real election,” citing low voter turnout and a climate of intimidation.
Ouattara has maintained that this fourth term will be his final run for the presidency. Yet, his extended rule adds to a broader trend of African leaders holding power for decades, a list topped by Cameroon’s Paul Biya, who at 92 years old has ruled for 43 years, and Equatorial Guinea’s Teodoro Obiang Nguema, the world’s longest-serving head of state.
