Envisaging another postponement to presidential election in the Côte d'Ivoire could be the worse scenario for the political future of the country.

Last Thursday, the United Nations Security Council voted against the usual six-month prolongation of the mandate of the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping forces, UNUCI, and simply gave four months for the troops to leave, even if elections are not organised in Côte d'Ivoire. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon followed in the same line with a clear ultimatum.

Since the death of President Felix Houphouet-Boigny in 1993, Côte d'Ivoire has been plunged in turmoil and when President Laurent Gbagbo wriggled his way to power in 2000 after controversial Presidential election that General Robert Guei almost rigged, instability has persisted in the country. The division made the nation drop deep into full scale war in 2002. That has given room for a continuous postponement of presidential polls for the past five years for varied reasons.

In effect, five years have gone by and the Ivorians are unable to reconcile their differences and organise presidential elections. Surprisingly, it was President Laurent Gbagbo himself who cast doubts on the normalisation process in the country recently by raising complaints about the existence of ghost electors despite several assurances by his regime to the Ivorians and the international community that presidential elections will at last take place before March this year. The fact that his insistence on the resignation of the President of the Ivorian independent electoral commission, Robert Beugré Mambé, met with resistance could signal another conflict that must require prompt action to quell down.

From every indication, only a free and fair election to the post of President can put an end to the uncertainty that war has brought to Côte d'Ivoire since September 19, 2002. Asking for Beugré's departure now would mean another death blow to the electoral process in Côte d'Ivoire even if maintaining him to the post must not mean failing to be vigilant on the work of his commission. President Gbagbo and his party sympathisers may simply have to keep to the election calendar that they have announced making sure that the other political actors in the country play by the roles.

With the question of disarming rebels, unifying the country as well as the identity problems being relegated to the background, it will be unfair to introduce another bone of contention now. This is because that would raise doubts over the normalisation process in Côte d'Ivoire. Consequently, the categorical insistence by the UN that elections take place within the quickest possible time in the country can be understood as a sign that the world is tired of seeing Côte d'Ivoire perpetually divided given the humanitarian dangers involved in any civil strife.

Thus, the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon was clear on Saturday when he pointed out that presidential election in Côte d'Ivoire before the end of March is vital. Such a firm stand by the UN Security Council and the UN Secretary General must be seen as indications that time is running out for Côte d'Ivoire. It is therefore time for President Laurent Gbogbo, major opposition leaders like Alassane Ouattara, Henri Konan Bedie as well as the current Prime Minister, Guillaume Soro to join forces and give the Côte d'Ivoire, the pride that the people deserve.