Chad’s Supreme Court has cleared President Idris Deby, who has been in power for 30 years, to seek a sixth term in office in the April 11 presidential election.
He will be contesting with nine other candidates who were deemed qualified by the Supreme Court, including his main and historical rival, Saleh Kebzabo.
However, the inclusion of Mr. Kebzabo, who had on Monday withdrawn his candidacy, has raised questions.
The opposition leader said he was discouraged by the “obvious militarization of the political climate” following the deadly attempt by security forces to arrest another opposition candidate, Yaya Dillo, at his home in the capital, N’Djamena.
The attack on February 28 left five members of Mr. Dillo’s family dead, according to his party, although the government says three people were killed, including the mother of the opposition leader.
The Supreme Court rejected the candidacy of seven other aspirants including Mr. Dillo and Succès Masra on grounds that their parties were not “legally constituted”.
With the disruption on the weak opposition, the incumbent is now seen as the most likely to win re-election for a sixth term.
