Ivorian opposition leader Tidjane Thiam, disqualified from the upcoming presidential race over nationality issues, declared on Wednesday that his party would not replace him and vowed to challenge the decision at the regional level.

“It’s me or no one. We will not put forward another candidate,” Thiam said in a phone interview with AFP.

On Tuesday, an Abidjan court removed Thiam from the electoral roll, citing the loss of his Ivorian nationality—a ruling that cannot be appealed, effectively blocking his participation in the October 25 presidential election.

Thiam now joins a list of barred opposition figures, including former President Laurent Gbagbo, who was struck from the roll due to a past conviction.

The head of the Democratic Party of Côte d’Ivoire (PDCI), officially nominated last Thursday as the party's presidential candidate, announced he would bring the case before the Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

“We will go to ECOWAS—we have the right to. We will continue to fight on the ground and show the government that this decision is bad for Côte d’Ivoire,” he said.

"Fired up and Ready"

Thiam emphasized the importance of electoral inclusion as a basic human right.

“Being on the electoral list is a fundamental right. It’s a matter of human rights. You can’t treat it lightly in a civilized nation,” he stated, adding that he remains “fired up.”

The court’s decision was based on Article 48 of the Ivorian Nationality Code, a law dating back to the 1960s, which states that acquiring a foreign nationality leads to the loss of Ivorian citizenship.

Born in Côte d’Ivoire, Thiam became a French citizen in 1987 and formally renounced that nationality in March 2025 in order to meet eligibility requirements, as presidential candidates in Côte d’Ivoire cannot hold dual nationality.

“I maintain that this law hasn’t been enforced in 64 years. Every day, Ivorians take up another nationality for various reasons. What this law now tells us is that, without any due process or notice, they have lost their Ivorian nationality without knowing it,” he explained.

While Thiam’s supporters denounce the ruling as politically motivated, the ruling party has denied any involvement.

Currently based in France, Thiam said he plans to continue diplomatic outreach and called on Ivorians to mobilize visibly in response to the situation.

His legal troubles may not be over. On Thursday, the Abidjan court is expected to rule on another case—also linked to his nationality—brought by a PDCI member who questions his legitimacy as party leader, arguing he had lost his Ivorian nationality at the time of his election in December 2023.

Several other opposition leaders have also been barred from the electoral roll:

·        Former President Laurent Gbagbo

·        Charles Blé Goudé, his former close ally

·        Guillaume Soro, ex-Prime Minister and rebel leader, currently in exile—all disqualified due to prior convictions.

The ruling party, RHDP, has yet to announce its candidate. Supporters are hoping for a fourth-term bid from President Alassane Ouattara, 83, who has been in power since 2011. A party congress in June is expected to be the moment he clarifies his intentions.

Meanwhile, three other opposition candidates are in the race:

·        Former First Lady Simone Gbagbo

·        Former Trade Minister Jean-Louis Billon

·        Former Prime Minister Pascal Affi N’Guessan