Côte d’Ivoire: PDCI-RDA vice-president escapes attempted arrest

According to news site Afriksoir, citing sources close to the party, masked individuals stormed his home in Abidjan, smashing through the gate with a « battering-ram »-type vehicle. Neither he nor his wife were present, avoiding any confrontation.

The break-in comes amid tense political conditions, just days after the PDCI-RDA launched its « PDCI-RDA discussion conferences » initiative. The first session, on 30 September 2025, drew significant media attention thanks to a speech by Akossi Bendjo, who sharply criticised RHDP governance, denouncing what he called an « illusory economy, » a weakened democracy, a fragile national unity, and a youth left behind.

The incident also came just hours after a PDCI–PPA-CI joint front demonstration in Abidjan, held despite a ban by the authorities. Demonstrators had voiced their discontent over the country’s political and social situation.

For now, no official response has come from the authorities. Within the PDCI-RDA, some see the incident as an act of intimidation aimed at silencing a critical figure ahead of the elections. Akossi Bendjo’s supporters are demanding an investigation into the break-in, denouncing it as a violation of individual freedoms.