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The Malian Presidency – Iba Ndiaye (FDR): “I Am Not Excluding a Conspiracy”

Ibrahim Boubacar Keita

French Translation of the Week

Following the announcement of Ibrahim Boubacar Keita's ("IBK") probable victory, some of his competitors have denounced the electoral process as questionable. Iba Ndiaye, vice president of the FDR coalition and Secretary General of Adema, discusses these preliminary results, which he considers "surprising".

"Au lendemain de l'annonce d'une probable victoire d'Ibrahim  Boubacar Keïta ("IBK") à l'élection présidentielle malienne, certains de ses  concurrents ont dénoncé un processus électoral douteux. Iba Ndiaye,  vice-président de la coalition du FDR et secrétaire général de l'Adema, revient  sur ces résultats provisoires, qu'il juge "surprenants".

This article has been translated from French. Click here to read the original version on Jeune Afrique

On Tuesday, July 30, 48 hours after the first round of elections held on Sunday, the Minister of Territorial Administration announced the preliminary results of the Malian presidential election. According to Colonel Moussa Coulibaly Sinko, former Prime Minister "IBK" benefits from "a wide lead" over the 26 other candidates after a third of ballots were  counted. IBK is followed by Soumaila Cissé and Dramane Dembélé.

Soumaila Cissé's political party quickly disputed these first official trends. "What the minister said is far fromthe truth. (...) What he said is not true, "according to Gagnon Coulibaly, the former finance minister's campaign coordinator, referring to "12%" of the ballots being counted and not 23%.

Iba Ndiaye is Vice President of the FDR (United Front for the safeguarding democracy and the Republic Mali), a coalition of different parties which  includes Soumaila Cissé's political party, the Union for the Republic and Democracy (URD) - but also, the party of  Dramane Dembélé, general secretary of Adema. Interviewed by Jeune Afrique, he does not exclude a possible "conspiracy" during the first round of the presidential election.

Jeune Afrique: what do you think of the statement made yesterday, by the Minister of Territorial Administration?

Iba Ndiaye: It is inappropriate, especially since it occurred on the eve of the announcement of the final results (in fact, the announcement of the full results, scheduled for Wednesday, has been postponed until Thursday). The Minister has created confusion in the mind of Malians'. We saw quickly how some people expressed their joy while others their anger.

Is it a challenge or a mistake?

I believe that it was a mistake. But it is up to the minister to explain.

Soumaila Cissé's camp, placed in second position by the Minister, had a very strong reaction. What of Adema, whose candidate is said to be in third position according to the Minister?

The reaction of Soumaila Cisse's supporters is understandable. Adema's position has not changed: we are waiting for the final results. We have noted many shortcomings in the election. The figures released by the Minister seem surprising. But we will not step out of the law. We will not call the people to the streets. This will not be responsible. On the contrary, we will use all legal means at our disposal.

We will use all legal remedies if we judge that the results do not comply with the will of the Malian people.

Do you trust the Constitutional Court, which is going to proclaim the final results?

Trust or not, we will go with our arguments. And we will use all legal remedies if we judge that the results do not comply with the will of the Malian people. But we must respect the court's decision, whatever it is.

A representative of FDR demanded yesterday during Cisse's team press conference the resignation of the minister and the establishment of an independent international commission to count the ballots. Do you agree?

This does not come from the FDR. We will meet to discuss.

The Minister is from the former junta, which also controls the electoral process. Do you fear a conspiracy?

I do not exclude it. The junta does not hide it, it endorsed a candidate, and we see how some of the military is active on the ground...

Article translated by Germaine Touna Mama, Staff Intern for the African Program at the Wilson Center

 

 

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