NIAMEY (AFP)--Niger President Mamadou Tandja has fixed Aug. 4 as the date for a controversial referendum to decide whether he can run for a third mandate, a statement said.
"The electorate is summoned on Tuesday, August 4... in order to give a verdict through a referendum," said a statement broadcast by state television channel Tele-Sahel late Friday. The campaign would start on July 13.
Earlier this week, Tandja named new members of the constitutional court, after dissolving the previous court which ruled against him three times in his bid to hold the referendum.
The 71-year-old retired army colonel - in power for a decade - dissolved parliament, which also opposed his plan, in May and assumed emergency powers saying the independence of the country was at threat.
Tandja has pressed ahead with his plan to hold a referendum to decide the question of whether he can run for a third mandate, despite the constitutional court having ruled it illegal, and growing international criticism of his position.
Meanwhile, the spokesman for the opposition Front for the Defence of Democracy coalition, which sees Tandja's actions as akin to a "coup," said he was stepping down as rapporteur to the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Marou Amadou, one of the strongest foes of Tandja's bid for a third term, was arrested on Monday night and held for three days.
"I have just announced my resignation... out of loyalty to the Constitution and the judgement of the Constitutional Court which had cancelled the referendum," he said.
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Publié le 04 Juillet 2009 Copyright © 2009 Dowjones