The Parti des peuples africains-Côte d’Ivoire (PPA-CI), led by former President Laurent Gbagbo, has announced that several party officials and activists facing disciplinary action will be barred from attending its first ordinary congress scheduled for May 14-15, 2026 in Abidjan.
The decision, disclosed in an official statement, comes after repeated breaches of party directives by these members. Specifically, they defied the PPA-CI’s decision to abstain from both the October 2025 presidential election and the December 27, 2025 legislative polls in Côte d’Ivoire.
The communiqué clarified that those under disciplinary review, including prominent figures such as Don Mello, Stéphane Kipré, Dali Arthur, and Armand Ouégnin, will not be permitted to participate in the upcoming congress. The gathering, set to take place at the Palais de la Culture d’Abidjan, aims to strengthen party unity and reinvigorate grassroots support.
Internal tensions within the PPA-CI have intensified in recent months, with high-ranking members openly challenging the leadership’s stance on electoral participation. The decision to exclude these individuals underscores the party’s efforts to enforce discipline and uphold its political strategy ahead of the landmark event.
