Ivory Coast election: An ex-first lady, a tycoon and a 'safe pair of hands' vie for power

The fervour of presidential campaigning belies concerns about the political landscape in a cocoa superpower.

Watch LiveBritish Broadcasting CorporationHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveDocumentariesHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsArts in MotionTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListTo the Ends of The Earth EarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingAudioPodcast CategoriesRadioAudio FAQsVideoBBC MaestroLiveLive NewsLive SportDocumentariesHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveDocumentariesWeatherNewslettersWatch LiveAn ex-first lady, a tycoon and a 'safe pair of hands' vie for power in Ivory Coast9 hours agoShareSaveNicolas Negoce,BBC Africa, Abidjan and Chiagozie Nwonwu,BBC AfricaShareSaveReutersPresident Alassane Dramane Ouattara is known by his initials "Ado" to his supportersDancing dominates campaign rallies in Ivory Coast but the pulsing energy and fervour belies concerns about the political landscape in the world's largest cocoa producer.

Saturday's presidential vote in the West African nation is as notable for the candidates who have been banned from running as for those who are vying for the top job.

While incumbent President Alassane Ouattara, a hero to some for bringing growth over the last 15 years to a country following a brutal civil war, is facing a backlash from those who see the 83-year-old's fourth-term bid as a slap in the face to democracy - even though his candidacy is allowed by the constitution.

Prominent opposition leader Tidjane Thiam was disqualified in April after a court ruled that he had forfeited his Ivorian citizenship when he became French in 1987 - a ruling that he disputed - while former President Laurent Gbagbo was barred because of a 2018 criminal conviction.

It was Gbagbo's refusal to accept defeat to Ouattara in a run-off vote in 2010 that sparked a post-election conflict that left more than 3,000 people dead and traumatised a nation vital to the global supply of chocolate.