Yesterday, Wednesday, April 2, the lawyers of the Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire (PDCI-RDA) appeared before the summary court in Abidjan to respond to a lawsuit filed by a PDCI member. Valérie Yapo, the plaintiff, is contesting the legitimacy of Tidjane Thiam as the party's leader.

By our correspondent in Abidjan, Bineta Diagne

It is noon. Several dozen people are marching peacefully near the courthouse. Leading the procession, PDCI deputies, draped in orange, white, and green sashes, attempt to enter the tribunal. However, they are met with a police barricade.

Through this demonstration, these deputies aim to express their disapproval of the legal proceedings initiated against Tidjane Thiam, their party's president. "This is a fight for democracy, for justice, for a peaceful democracy in our country," explains Simon Doho, head of the PDCI parliamentary group. "We cannot accept that some people use legal maneuvers (...) to prevent our president from running for the presidency of Côte d'Ivoire!"

The case stems from a lawsuit filed by Valérie Yapo, a PDCI member, who is challenging Tidjane Thiam’s legitimacy as the party’s leader. Thiam was elected with nearly 96% of the vote at a congress in December 2023. He recently renounced his French nationality to be eligible for the October presidential election.

However, his opponents argue that he is no longer Ivorian, citing Article 48 of the Nationality Code, which states that an "adult Ivorian" loses Ivorian nationality "if they voluntarily acquire a foreign nationality or declare recognition of such nationality."

After a closed-door hearing, Valérie Yapo chose not to disclose details of the case. "It was a simple, problem-free session. There was no animosity whatsoever. Mr. Thiam’s defense presented their arguments. We reviewed the case, as proposals had been made previously. The judge has simply postponed the case to April 11, 2025, to deliver a decision."

Until then, the PDCI continues its activities, with a political bureau meeting scheduled for Saturday in Yamoussoukro. The main agenda: setting a date for the party’s nomination convention.