On the basis of a handwritten list that former president Alpha Condé transmitted to his party’s three leaders, Ibrahima Kassory Fofana informed the Rassemblement du Peuple de Guinée (RPG) on 7 February that he had been appointed to head a provisional national executive committee. This announcement created shock waves within the party. Some leaders questioned this letter’s existence, claiming that the former head of state, who is currently convalescing in Abu Dhabi, was unable to choose his former prime minister.
After consulting this document, which looks like a rough draft, and examining its handwriting, we are able to confirm that the former president had indeed drawn up a list of several party officials.
The date of the letter in question
Furthermore, Fofana’s name appears next to the words “president of the provisional executive council.” Although this handwritten and undated letter was written by Condé, it is impossible at this stage to say whether Conakry’s former strongman wrote it before or after he was overthrown in the coup.
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The former president told us over the phone that he had received this list from Khadija Nantou Chérif, the national coordinator and one of the party’s oldest activists, Claude Kory Kondiano, the treasurer and former president of the National Assembly, and Hadj Tidiane Traoré, a member of the political bureau, former minister of state and special adviser to the president. All three, he said, were in contact with Condé.
“Manipulation”
On 9 March, Fofana received the RPG’s office and central committee at his home in Lambanyi. Several of the party’s heavyweights were present, including Albert Damantang Camara, the former security minister, Kiridi Bangoura, the Presidency’s former secretary-general, Bantama Sow, former minister of sports, and Djalikatou Diallo, the last minister of national unity and citizenship under Condé and Domani Doré, the RPG’s spokesperson. During this meeting, he informed the party’s leaders of the existence of this list drawn up by the former president.
After another list that had been drawn up by the RPG’s provisional executive committee started circulating on social media, the party’s youth issued a statement on 9 March. It denounced this “manipulation” and encouraged the formation’s executives to disassociate themselves from this “delaying tactic, whose authors alone hold the secret and the real motivation.” Fofana denied the authenticity of this list made up of about 60 names and told us that it was “fake.”
Despite this climate of distrust, the former prime minister is nevertheless going to the RPG headquarters in the district of Gbessia on 10 March, in order to formalise “his acceptance” as head of the party. He is also adamant that a meeting should be held on 26 March to prepare for future local elections.
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