The legal saga shaking the Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire (PDCI-RDA) has been given another reprieve. The Plateau Court of First Instance decided on April 9th to postpone until April 16th the hearing on the appeal challenging the legitimacy of Tidjane Thiam as head of the political party.

A deadline for completing the file

Originally scheduled for the beginning of this month, the hearing between Charles Tchétché , a member of the political bureau, and the party leadership was cut short. The court granted the plaintiff's request, giving him an additional week to submit further supporting documents .

Filed in mid-March, this legal action aims for a radical objective: the outright annulment of Tidjane Thiam's election . The plaintiff denounces "serious irregularities" which, according to him, tainted the electoral process.

Between celebration and procedural battle

While the lawyers were busy at the courthouse, the atmosphere was quite different at party headquarters:

1. On the activist side: Supporters gathered to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the PDCI-RDA.
2. On the defense side: The party is not taking the matter lightly and has mobilized a legal strike force composed of four law firms .

Note: This postponement to April 16th is purely procedural. The court has not yet ruled on the merits of the case.

This legal standoff underlines persistent tensions within Ivory Coast's oldest party, as the new government tries to stabilize its legitimacy in the face of internal dissent.