Congo Republic’s opposition parties have convened an Alternative National Forum in rejection of a government-sponsored conference that opens the door to President Denis Sassou Nguesso seeking a third term next year.
The government-backed talks this month, boycotted by the main opposition alliance FROCAD, recommended changing the constitution to remove a two-term limit on the president and to scrap an age cap of 70, both of which would have disqualified the 71-year-old Sassou Nguesso from running again.
The former military officer has ruled the oil-producing central African nation for a total of 31 years in two spells since 1979.
“Altering the January 20 2002, constitution would be a constitutional coup because it would violate the spirit, the principles and the respect of that constitution,” Guy Romain Kinfoussia, a senior member of FROCAD, said in an opening address to the conference late on Sunday.
