Ofure Akhigbe
Former First Lady of Côte d’Ivoire, Simone Ehivet Gbagbo, on Wednesday held a campaign rally in Yopougon, a popular district of Abidjan, as part of her bid for the 2025 presidential election. The event focused on mobilizing women to support her political movement.
Under a blazing sun, several hundred women dressed in the colors of the Generations Capables Movement (MGC) gathered to show support for their leader.
“The various meetings in the interior of the country and in Abidjan have generated real enthusiasm among the population. She was warmly welcomed, which led to today’s gathering with the women. Everywhere she went, her message was heard and listened to attentively. The reception was warm, and there were no problems overall,” said Dieng Ndeye Kady, Abidjan North Coordinator of the MGC.
Gbagbo, who officially declared her candidacy for the 2025 polls, is banking on women and youth to drive her campaign and achieve what she described as a “peaceful change” in Ivorian politics.
“But it was David who defeated Goliath. We know it was a little ant that brought down the elephant. We know what Doctor Simone Ehivet Gbagbo is capable of. With her, we are not just here to be present; we are here to win. Ivorians are thirsty for this victory, and we are tired of mourning deaths at the end of crises. This time, peaceful change is with Simone Ehivet Gbagbo,” said Odette Tiémélé, the National Coordinator in charge of women.
Addressing the crowd, Gbagbo reaffirmed her determination to challenge the ruling establishment. She declared that she was not in the race to play a secondary role, but to win — aiming to push incumbent President Alassane Ouattara into a second round and ultimately become Côte d’Ivoire’s first female president.