Ivory Coast’s President, Alassane Ouattara, has clinched a fourth consecutive term following a sweeping victory in the country’s latest presidential election.
Gatekeepers News reports that according to provisional results announced on Monday by Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), Ouattara secured 89.77 percent of the total votes cast.
His closest rivals, former commerce minister Jean-Louis Billon and former first lady Simone Gbagbo, trailed behind with 3.09 percent and 2.42 percent, respectively.
IEC chairman Ibrahime Coulibaly-Kuibiert announced the results, confirming that both Billon and Gbagbo have accepted the outcome, with Gbagbo reportedly congratulating the president.
Ouattara, a former International Monetary Fund (IMF) deputy managing director, has been widely praised for maintaining years of economic stability and steady growth in the West African nation.
According to he President, the victory marks his final run for office, extending his leadership to nearly 15 years, a tenure that places him among West Africa’s longest-serving presidents.
His continued rule mirrors that of Cameroon’s Paul Biya, 92, who remains the world’s oldest sitting president and Africa’s second longest-serving leader — surpassed only by Teodoro Obiang Nguema of Equatorial Guinea.
