Remains of former Ivorian Prime Minister Amadou Gon Coulibally, who died in Abidjan last week, arrived in his home town of Khorogo in northern Ivory Coast aboard an armed forces plane.

The procession then made its way to the residence of the deceased.

On Tuesday, tributes was paid to him in the presence of the Head of State Allassane Ouattara and Senegalese President Macky Sall.

“He represented the future of the presidency of Ivory Coast. We know that there is confidence in him and he had a lot of control over the Ivorian people, he could stay the course”, Fatoumata Fofana, a student said.

“We’re not discouraged, it’s okay, we’ll keep fighting for him”, Fatoumata Abdoulaye, a cashier said.

Amadou Gon Coulibaly, 61, was nominated in March as a candidate for President Alassane Ouattara’s RHDP party for October’s presidential election.

This nomination put an end to months of speculation about President Ouattara’s candidacy in this long-awaited election.

AFP