Chad's prime minister resigns with transitional government

By Aurore Bonny

DOUALA, Cameroon (AA) - Chad's Prime Minister, Assyongar Masra Succes, announced on Wednesday that he had tendered his resignation in accordance with the Central African country's constitution.

“I have just submitted my resignation and that of the transitional government, which became irrelevant with the end of the presidential election”, “in accordance with the Constitution”, Masra announced in a written note published via his official social networks.

This decision comes almost two weeks after Masra's defeat in the May 6 presidential election won by General Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, head of the junta that had been in power for 3 years following the death of his father on the front line after 30 years of rule.

Masra, a fierce opponent of the Deby dynasty, was appointed prime minister on January 1. He won 18.54% of the vote against 61% for General Deby, according to the Constitutional Council.

He contested this result, considering himself elected in the first round of the elections, described by his party as a “farce” and by international NGOs as “not credible”.

The now Prime Minister also lodged an appeal to annul the election, which was rejected by the Constitutional Council on May 16.

Following this rejection, he then admitted that there was no longer any legal recourse at national level, and called on his supporters to take peaceful, non-violent action.

The inauguration ceremony of the new Head of State is scheduled for Thursday in N'Djamena, the capital of Chad.