Alpha Conde
Guinea';s President, Alpha Conde has been nominated by the governing party to run for a third term in office following the new constitution to bypass the two-term limit on the presidential mandate in the country.
Recall that Conde, a longtime opposition leader was voted into office in 2010 which raised hopes for democratic progress in Guinea after decades of authoritarian rule. This was followed by his reelection in 2015.
The eighty-two year old Conde, who having gained knowledge of his nomination, evaded giving a direct response to his formal nomination in a speech. He rather spoke of his running again which had triggered widespread protests that claimed not less thirty lives over the past year. In his words to his party members, he said, "Today you have all spoken, allies, parties and others - I take note."
Conde’s efforts to remain in power however calls for concern if Guinea will follow the path of other African countries whose rulers have refused to step down long after their mandates expired. But his supporters have made it known that Conde';s reselection comes as a result of the constitutional change to exceed the two-term limit which was approved in a referendum in March and boycotted by the opposition party.