Chad’s Prime Minister and opposition leader, Succes Masra, tendered his resignation in light of the confirmation of interim President Mahamat Idriss Deby as the victor of the May 6 presidential election.
“I have today presented… my resignation and that of the transitional government, which has become irrelevant with the end of the presidential election of May 6, 2024, with known results,” Masra announced on Wednesday, May 22, through a statement released on social media.
Masra assumed the role of Prime Minister of the transitional government in January 2024, four months prior to the election, as part of efforts to foster a constructive rapport with the opposition. Shortly thereafter, he announced his candidacy for the presidency in March, aiming to restore constitutional governance to the nation.
Chad, an oil-exporting country with a population of nearly 18 million, has not experienced a democratic transfer of power since gaining independence in 1960, following decades of French colonial rule.
Prior to the official release of preliminary results, Masra asserted his victory, alleging plans for electoral fraud. However, Chad’s electoral body declared Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno as the winner, securing 61% of the vote, while Masra, the leading opposition candidate and head of the transitional government, trailed with an 18.5% share.
Accepting the council’s decision, Masra acknowledged that there were no further legal avenues to contest the election results.
Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, also known as Deby, assumed power following the death of his father, who ruled for three decades until his demise while combating rebels in 2021. The long-awaited election followed three years of military rule, with analysts widely predicting Deby’s victory.
