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ECOWAS Hails Ivory Coastâs âMature, Peacefulâ Vote

   Peter Clottey 01 November 2010
   A  UN  vehicule  passes  billboards  for  the  presidential  electoral
   campaign on a moped in Bouake, 27 Oct 2010

Photo: AFP

   A  UN  vehicule  passes  billboards  for  the  presidential  electoral
   campaign on a moped in Bouake, 27 Oct 2010

   A  top  official  of  the  Economic  Community  of West African States
   (ECOWAS)  has  congratulated  the  people  of Ivory Coast over what he
   described as a mature and peaceful presidential vote Sunday.

   Sonny  Ugoh,  communications  director  for  the West African regional
   bloc,  also  urged  the  losing  presidential  candidates  to  use the
   countryâs  state  institutions, including the courts, to address their
   concerns about the poll results.

   âWe wish to congratulate them for the way they conducted themselves in
   the  elections  on  Sunday.  You can see that all the anxiety, all the
   trepidation,  and  all  the  fears  were  unfounded.  You  can see how
   peaceful  it  went. We can only ask them to exercise the same patience
   and  the  same  maturity  as  they wait anxiously for the outcome,â he
   said.

   Meanwhile,   the  United  Nations  has  also  urged  the  presidential
   candidates  to accept the results of Sunday's long-awaited election. A
   top  U.N. official in Ivory Coast expressed confidence Monday that the
   results would be accepted by all candidates.

   Ivorians   are  awaiting  returns  from  the  presidential  poll,  the
   country's first since a 2002 civil war.

   The  electoral  commission  Monday released some tallies from Ivorians
   voting  abroad. Incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo won among voters in
   Ghana  and  South Africa, while challenger Alassane Ouattara won among
   voters in Gabon, Mali and Spain.

   Ugoh  said  there  is a need for all presidential candidates to accept
   the results of the vote.

   âWhoever  has  any  issues  with  the  outcome  (of  the  vote) should
   demonstrate   the   same  maturity  in  responding  to  it  and  using
   constitutional  means to address it, so that Ivoirians can continue to
   enjoy  (the  peace).  They  donât  know how proud we are of them. They
   (should)  continue along this path and this is the path that ECOWAS is
   happy about,â Ugoh said.

   He  further  urged  the  presidential  candidates  to rally around the
   winner  to  present  a united country âtowards reconstruction, towards
   development  and  towards  working  with the rest of the sub-region in
   moving West Africa forward.â

   In  an  interview  on  state  television,  the  commission's permanent
   secretary  (Auguste  Miremont)  said  officials  will meet a Wednesday
   deadline for complete results.

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