Guinea opponent slams junta chief's possible presidential bid
Under a transition charter drawn up by the junta shortly after the coup, the president and members of the military government are barred from running in future elections.
FILE: Guinea junta leader Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, raises his hand at his swearing in ceremony as president of country transion on 1 October 2021 in Conakry. Picture: Cellou BINANI / AFP
CONAKRY, Guinea - A leading Guinea opposition figure on Thursday urged resistance to the possible presidential candidacy of junta chief Mamady Doumbouya, who seized power in the West African nation in a 2021 coup.
Senior junta officials recently expressed support for the idea of Doumbouya standing for election.
Doumbouya himself has not said whether he intends to run.
Under a transition charter drawn up by the junta shortly after the coup, the president and members of the military government are barred from running in future elections.
After first taking power, Doumbouya reiterated his commitment not to stand for election.
"Doumbouya has dropped the mask after trying to gain time and abuse our trust and good faith over the past three years," Cellou Dalein Diallo, an exiled opposition figure, said in a statement Thursday.
"His intention to stand as a candidate for his own succession, when he has sworn to organise free, transparent and inclusive elections to hand over to regularly elected leaders, is a serious personal perjury," he added.
Diallo called on Guinea and the international community to oppose "Doumbouya's desire to remain at the head of the Guinean state".
The junta agreed under pressure from regional bloc ECOWAS to organise elections by the end of 2024 after a so-called transition period.
It has since made little secret of its intention to renege on the commitment.
Last week, Guinea's foreign minister told diplomats and representatives from French-speaking countries in Paris that all elections required to restore constitutional order would be held in 2025.
The military-led authorities in July presented a draft constitution, which is due to be put to a referendum before the end of the year. But no date has yet been set.
The text was rejected by the opposition who said it would prevent a return to civilian rule.