Ivory Coast leader vows early polls

ABIDJAN – Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo, whose mandate was due to go into extra time following the west African state’s failure to hold elections, pledged on Sunday to do everything he could to organise a vote before a one-year deadline set by the United Nations.

Meanwhile the New Forces rebels, who hold most of the north of the country, reaffirmed their call for Gbagbo to leave and said their leader, Guillaume Soro, should be the prime minister of a government of national reconciliation, due to be set up on Monday. “Monsieur Laurent Gbagbo’s presidential mandate is well and truly over,” the rebels said.Under political plans drawn up by the African Union and backed by the UN, a transitional prime minister was to have been chosen before Monday by mediators including presidents Thabo Mbeki of South Africa and Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria.Under the plan, the prime minister would enjoy enhanced powers and it would be his job to organise elections.After a day marked by protests calling for him to step down, Gbagbo seemed eager to mollify the nation when he addressed it on television.Earlier on Sunday, security forces fired in the air and used tear gas to disperse demonstrators seeking to march to Gbagbo’s residence to protest the extension of his mandate.- Nampa-AFP”Monsieur Laurent Gbagbo’s presidential mandate is well and truly over,” the rebels said.Under political plans drawn up by the African Union and backed by the UN, a transitional prime minister was to have been chosen before Monday by mediators including presidents Thabo Mbeki of South Africa and Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria.Under the plan, the prime minister would enjoy enhanced powers and it would be his job to organise elections.After a day marked by protests calling for him to step down, Gbagbo seemed eager to mollify the nation when he addressed it on television.Earlier on Sunday, security forces fired in the air and used tear gas to disperse demonstrators seeking to march to Gbagbo’s residence to protest the extension of his mandate.- Nampa-AFP