Cipriano Cassama: Guinea-Bissau interim president resigns amid death threats
- Cipriano Cassama has resigned barely 48 hours after he was sworn in as Guinea-Bissau interim president
- The 61-year-old cited alleged "death threats to his life and family, fearing the decision to be in power will plunge the country into unrest
- Cassama was handed the mantle of leadership after two leading candidates for presidential seat Umaro Sissoco Embalo and Domingos Simoes Pereira rejected NEC results
Cipriano Cassama, a man appointed interim president of Guinea-Bissau, has reportedly stepped down amid claims of alleged threats to his life and his family, Business Recorder reports.
Cassama who is president of National People's Assembly of Guinea-Bissau, announced the decision in a press statement on Sunday, March 1, citing fear of "physical integrity."
The 61-year-old's decision came less than 48 hours after he took over the country’s helms of affairs via the ruling party PAIGC's resolution.
Source: Depositphotos
"I have decided to give up the role of interim president for which I was nominated, to avoid a bloodbath in Guinea-Bissau," Cassama said in a statement on Sunday.
“I fear for my physical integrity, my life and that of my family is in danger. I have no security."
Cassama alleged that since he was nominated, his life and his family associates have been on a red line, adding that soldiers came for his security guards.
The Background
African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) has been controlling the affair of Guinea Bissau since the country's independence in 1974, but on Friday, February 28, 54 of its deputies out of the 102 parliamentary seats appointed Cassama as interim president.
The decision was, however, welcomed by intrigues as the two leading candidates jostling for the president seats Umaro Sissoco Embalo and Domingos Simoes Pereira took a controversial stand.
In the results of presidential election declared by the country's election empire, National Electoral Commission (NEC), 47-year-old Embalo won 53.55 per cent of the votes in the second-round vote.
Pereira, 56, who is also from the same party PAIGC, denounced the result as fraudulent after he came second with 46.45 per cent from the general vote collection.
Amid looming fracas and bloodbath, Cipriano Cassama was appointed as the interim president, but the 61-year-old later announced he would be stepping down following alleged threats.
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Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that after several weeks of silence, President Muhammadu Buhari finally approved the retirement of Winifred Oyo-Ita as head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
The president also confirmed Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan as the head of service. According to the president, the appointment of Yemi-Esan as the substantive HOCSF takes effect from Friday, February, 26.
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