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ECOWAS Dismisses Ivorian President Gbagbo Election Lawsuit

   Peter Clottey  February 14, 2011
   Ivory  Coast  strongman  Laurent Gbagbo, left, talks with Kenyan Prime
   Minister  Raila  Odinga,  an  African  Union envoy sent to mediate the
   ongoing  Ivorian  political  standoff,  following  a  meeting  at  the
   presidential palace in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, Jan 17, 2011

Photo: AP

   Ivory  Coast  strongman  Laurent Gbagbo, left, talks with Kenyan Prime
   Minister  Raila  Odinga,  an  African  Union envoy sent to mediate the
   ongoing  Ivorian  political  standoff,  following  a  meeting  at  the
   presidential palace in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, Jan 17, 2011

   A  senior  official  of  the Economic Community of West African States
   (ECOWAS)  said  embattled  Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo is wasting
   âeverybodyâsâ time after his administration began a legal challenge of
   the  regional  blocâs  decision  to  recognize  former  Prime Minister
   Alassane  Ouattara  as  winner  of  Ivory Coastâs presidential run-off
   vote.

   Sonny   Ugoh,   communications   director  of  ECOWAS,  told  VOA  the
   sub-regional  bloc  stands by its decision insisting that Mr. Ouattara
   won the vote described by poll observers as free and fair.

   âOf  course,  our  position  still  remains  the  same. It is just the
   process  of  actualizing it that we are still working on. As far as we
   are  concerned,  and  the  evidence before us to the effect that (Mr.)
   Alassane  Ouattara  won the election and that is the basis for all the
   decisions that the heads of state had taken; and, that is the position
   of ECOWAS.â

   President  Gbagboâs  administration is challenging ECOWASâ decision to
   recognize Mr. Ouattara as winner of the November 28^th vote contending
   that  it  violates  the  supremacy  of  the  countryâs  Constitutional
   Council.

   But, Ugoh said the regional bloc will âforcefullyâ defend its decision
   to recognize Mr. Ouattara as the legitimate winner.

   Shortly  after  filing  the  lawsuit, Mohamed Lamine Faye, an attorney
   representing President Gbagboâs government, told journalists that, âWe
   are asking the court to hold that these pronouncements are illegalâ¦If
   they  are  illegal,  they  are  null and void. They should suspend any
   action in respect to these pronouncements.â

   Supporters   of   President  Gbagbo  have  accused  the  West  African
   sub-regional bloc of contributing to the ongoing political stalemate.

   âI   donât   think   anybody  can  accuse  us  of  being  reckless  or
   irresponsible. We are a very responsible organization and we know what
   the  requirements  are  and  we  factored  those in before we took our
   decision.  And,  the  decision for us is the same as the international
   community.  I  donât  want  anybody  to  say  that  the  international
   community has been irresponsible on the matter of Cote dâIvoire,â said
   Ugoh.

   âWe  have  taken our responsibility seriously and we know what the law
   is  and  we  have  been  so  advised  and  we  stand  very firm on our
   conviction.â

   After  the  run-off  election,  Ivory  Coast's  Constitutional Council
   annulled  nearly  10  percent  of  all  ballots  cast saying they were
   fraudulent. That led the council to declare Mr. Gbagbo the winner.

   The  sub-regional  bloc  is  joined  by  the African Union, the United
   Nations and most nations recognize Mr. Ouattara as the winner.

   ECOWAS  has  warned  that  it will use âlegitimate forceâ if President
   Gbagbo
   refuses to step down.

   But,   despite   increasing   international  pressure,  supporters  of
   the Ivoirian leader say Mr. Gbagbo will not step down.

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