With our correspondent in Abidjan, Pierre Pinto

When the party filed its dossiers with the CEI (Electoral Commission), the executive director of the RHDP Adama Bictogo displayed serenity and certainty regarding his camp's victory with "a very comfortable majority".

Nevertheless, the presidential party does not seem to be taking this ballot lightly. It is even bringing out the heavy artillery. Thus, no fewer than thirty members of the government are in the running, with the Prime Minister at the forefront. Hamed Bakayoko is a candidate in Séguela in the northwest of the country.

Also running, among others, the Foreign Affairs Minister, Ally Coulibaly, in the north-central region; the Education Minister, Kandia Camara, in Abobo; and the Agriculture Minister, Kobenan Kouassi Adjoumani; the Health Minister, Eugène Aka Aouélé; the Culture Minister, Raymonde Goudou Koffi; and the Planning Minister, Niale Kaba, in their respective strongholds.

Tourism Minister Siandou Fofana is seeking a seat in Port-Bouet, where he lost municipal elections two and a half years ago. His counterpart, Commerce Minister Souleymane Diarassouba, is also running in Yamoussoukro.

Some close collaborators of President Ouattara are also candidates. This is the case for his cabinet director Fidèle Sarassoro, as well as the secretary of state to the presidency Patrick Achi. Adama Bictogo is also in the running.

The RHDP has fielded under its colors certain "war prizes" such as the soroïstes and outgoing deputies Mamadou Kanigui Soro and Célestine Trazere.

Also noteworthy is the candidacy of writer and director of the newspaper Fraternité matin, Venance Konan, in Daoukro, a PDCI stronghold.