Ousmane Kaba, a former close associate of Guinean President Alpha Condé, will contest in the country’s presidential election scheduled for October this year after accepting his party’s nomination.
Kaba, a former minister in various portfolios, is the leader of the opposition Party of Democrats for Hope (PADES).
On Saturday, Kaba expressed optimism to an estimated 200 party delegates gathered in the capital Conakry that he will be victorious in the coming election.
“I accept your proposal to be your party’s candidate for the forthcoming presidential election, which we are going to win.”
Kaba was dismissed a minister and ejected from the ruling Rally of the Guinean People (RPG) party in 2016 after he publicly criticised Condé following a speech.
The RPG party, meanwhile, is expected to nominate its candidate at a party convention from August 5-6, in Conakry.
Opposition figures are wary of the possibility of Condé vying for another term. Earlier this year, Guinea voted for a change in the constitution which would reset presidential term limits, potentially allowing Condé to be elected for a third term.
However, Condé, who has served for two five-year constitutional terms, had previously said that only “the party will decide” who gets to be named as its candidate.
The National Front for the Defence of the Constitution (FNDC), an umbrella opposition group of opposition parties and civil society groups, has called on its supporters to demand Condé’s resignation following the government’s response to protests against it.
