20101205
africanews

Alassane Ouattara had sworn himself in as Cote d'Ivoire new president on Saturday following Laurent Gbagbo's official swearing-in ceremony, according to RFI English version. Ouattara's camp called Gbagbo's swearing-in ceremony "illegal" and said they would not recognise him as head of state.

The AFP news agency reported that Ouattara claimed the presidency in an email sent to the Constitutional Council.


"In the name of the people of Cote d'Ivoire, we recognise you as sovereign chief," Youssouf Kone, a senior state official, said during Gbagbo's swearing-in ceremony.


"Gbagbo came into the room, sat expressionless in a chair as the results were read out region by region and then he stood up to receive the oath of office. He wrapped himself in the Ivorian flag," said Abidjan correspondent Marco Chown Oved.


He has won the election, the UN is recognising him as the new head of state, all nations are sending congratulation letters. So there's no reason for him to wait. So we'll go ahead and set up the new government.


"At the presidential palace we have every dignitary from across the country who've come to sit in the old chamber where the original president after independence, Félix Houphouët-Boigny, used-to give his yearly sum-up," Chown Oved added.


Gbagbo said he would "respect and faithfully defend the constitution" and "protect the rights and freedoms of citizens".


"Afterwards he received the gold chain which gives him the right to govern," said Chown Oved, who was at the ceremony. "He gave a short speech afterwards calling on his countrymen to not allow foreigners to interfere in their internal affairs," he added.


"I think this ceremony is totally illegal," Albert Toikeusse Mabri, a spokesperson for Ouattara, told RFI.


"We are not going to recognise Mr Gbagbo as head of state. The new head of state is Alassane Ouattara," he added.


There have been continued international calls for Gbagbo to step aside.


"My conclusion, by all accounts, there is one winner, who is Mr Alassane Ouattara," said United Nations special envoy to Cote d'Ivoire Choi Young-jin.