The Ivorian Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) has extended applications for the elections of regional councilors and municipal councilors which was previously expiring on Wednesday July 19, 2023, has been extended exceptionally until Sunday July 23, 2023.
Mr. Émile Ebrottié, spokesperson for the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) during a press briefing on Wednesday J in Abidjan said the extension is intended to give ample time to aspirants who have not file their candidate nomination to do so.
According to his the extension follows a meeting between his institution and the political parties and groups, on Saturday July 15, 2023, in Abidjan as part of the operation of Revision of the Electoral List in order to discuss the concerns raised by some of would-be candidates.
”The political parties and groups have requested the extension of the period for receiving applications for the elections of regional councilors and municipal councilors of September 02, 2023.
“This request was reiterated by several letters dated Monday July 17, 2023, addressed to the President of the Independent Electoral Commission”, he confided.
He also explained that based on these requests, the President of the Independent Electoral Commission urgently convened an extraordinary Central Commission to examine the requests made by political parties and groups.
It is thus, according to him, that this Wednesday, July 19, 2023, after deliberations, the Central Commission granted the request of the political parties and groups which, as a general rule, the majority of candidates in both regional municipal elections.
”The Independent Election Commission knows that it can count on everyone’s sense of responsibility and civic-mindedness for the proper conduct of this essential step in the organization of the elections of September 02, 2023.”, he concluded.
Regional councilors and municipal councilors elections are expected to take place in Ivory Coast on September 2, 2023 to elect new new leaders who will steer the affairs of their respective areas for 5 years period.
