The Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) has called for Suspension of the FIF electoral process, due to shortcomings in the report presented by the Secretary of the Electoral Commission.

FIF says that has a duty to ensure that the electoral process complies with the texts of the FIF, FIFA and CAF, and to ensure that it is irreproachable.

In a statement by FIF President Augustin Sidy Diallo, the country’s governing body states that there is serious and repeated violations of the provisions of Articles 2 and 8 of the Electoral Code, as well as of the final provisions of the said Code.

“This day August 11, 2020, at 6.30 p.m., the Emergency Committee of the Executive Committee of the FIF noted, by way of a bailiff, the non-notification by the Electoral Commission, within the time limit prescribed by the provisions of the electoral code, of its decision to the various candidates for the presidency of the FIF,” the statement from Sidy Diallo read.

“As a reminder, the Ordinary General Assembly of the FIF took place on Saturday 04 July 2020 in Yamoussoukro.

“On this occasion, the General Assembly proceeded with the election of the Election Commission of the FIF, in accordance with the provisions of article 4 of the Electoral Code of the FIF.

“This Commission, established on Tuesday 07 July 2020, began its work on Monday 13 2020. On that date, it issued a press release to set the period for submitting applications and to recall the eligibility conditions.

“A second press release from the Electoral Commission was published on July 23, 2020 to postpone to Saturday August 1, 2020 the deadline for submitting candidacy files due to the celebration of the Tabaski festival on Friday July 31, 2020, an unforeseen public holiday.”

The statement further adds, “All IFF active members have noted the excitement surrounding the candidacies and they were awaiting the conclusions of the work of the Electoral Commission when, on Monday 10 August 2020, the Executive Director who ensures, in application of the provisions of article 5 of the Electoral Code of the FIF, the functions of Secretary of the Electoral Commission  produces a full report.”

“The report of the secretary of the Electoral Commission highlights serious shortcomings in the conduct of the electoral process by the said commission.  He expressed his refusal to sign a minutes of deliberations which did not comply with the decisions taken by the Electoral Commission and which included conclusions that violated the texts of the FIF.

Faced with the seriousness of the breaches reported, the President of the FIF challenged the President of the Electoral Commission by letter dated August 10, 2020. In his response dated the same day, the President of the Electoral Commission indicated “to have acted in full naivety, to preserve social cohesion, in this sensitive period ”.

He added that he had found an ad hoc solution with “eminent jurists, members of the Commission”.  Finally, the President of the Commission has declared that he will defer to the decision to be taken and will not oppose a possible challenge.

By letters dated August 10, 2020, the President of the FIF informed FIFA and CAF of this situation and of the convening of the IFF Emergency Committee to take the necessary measures.

On Tuesday, the President of the FIF received a note addressed to him by 4 members of the Electoral Commission denouncing the forfeiture of the President of their commission and declaring that he does not recognize himself in the decision that he and certain members of the committee adopted on Sunday 09 August 2020. It should be noted that the committee is composed of 7 members.

The reported facts revealed serious and repeated violations of the provisions of Articles 2 and 8 of the Electoral Code, as well as of the final provisions of the said Code.

At this stage, the Emergency Committee made the following observations:

• The Election Commission violated the IFF Electoral Code and the mandate given to it by the General Assembly;
• The Commission ignored the statutes, regulations and directives of the FIF;
• The confidentiality of the work of the Electoral Commission was violated by the interventions of one of its members on the media and social networks;
• The credibility of the decisions of the Electoral Commission is damaged;
• The neutrality of certain members of the Electoral Commission is called into question;
• The current electoral process no longer inspires confidence;

The deadline given to the Electoral Commission for the examination and publication of candidacies ended today, Tuesday August 11, 2020 at 6 p.m., without a decision taken by it.

 These findings, which denote the failure of the Electoral Commission, call for the following decisions:

• Suspension of the FIF electoral process, in application of articles 48 and 100 of the FIF statutes;
• The forthcoming convocation of an Extraordinary General Assembly of the FIF, in application of article 36 of the statutes of the FIF for examining the arrangements to be made for the continuation of electoral operations;

The Executive Committee reiterated that it is its duty to ensure that the electoral process complies with the texts of the FIF, FIFA and CAF, and to ensure that it is irreproachable.