Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara has confirmed he will seek a fourth term in office, cementing his position as the frontrunner in an election already marred by the exclusion of several heavyweight opposition candidates.

The 83-year-old leader made his announcement in a televised address on Tuesday, weeks after being officially nominated by his Rally of Houphouetists for Democracy and Peace (RHDP) party.

“For several months, I have received numerous calls from fellow citizens regarding my potential candidacy in the presidential election,” Ouattara said, adding that voices “from all regions of Côte d’Ivoire” had urged him to continue leading the nation.

Ouattara, who first came to power in 2011, previously said he would not run again but reversed course after the death of his handpicked successor, Prime Minister Amadou Gon Coulibaly. He won a controversial third term in 2020 after a constitutional change reset term limits.

This year’s October 25 vote is shaping up to be a one-horse race. Top opposition figures — including former president Laurent Gbagbo, his ally Charles Blé Goudé, and ex-Prime Minister Guillaume Soro — have all been barred from running due to criminal convictions.

Ouattara’s most prominent remaining rival, Tidjane Thiam, was disqualified by a court because he allegedly held French nationality when declaring his candidacy, despite renouncing it soon after. Ivorian law forbids dual nationals from running for president.

The African People’s Party of Ivory Coast (PPA-CI) and the Democratic Party of Ivory Coast (PDCI), the country’s largest opposition bloc, have launched a joint campaign demanding their leaders be reinstated ahead of the polls.

Critics accuse Ouattara of tightening his grip on power and using legal maneuvers to sideline his opponents, while the government insists the judiciary operates independently.

Ivory Coast has a turbulent history of election-related unrest. Ouattara’s third-term bid in 2020 sparked violent clashes that killed several people. Recent protests have erupted over the disqualification of opposition candidates, raising fears of fresh instability.

Ouattara now joins a growing list of West African leaders who have extended their time in power by changing constitutional term limits, fueling frustration in a region already rattled by military coups.

With input from Al Jazeera