Bouteflika’s rivals talk about fraud

« Opposition » candidates raised doubts on the next presidential elections due to be held in April as they believe there will be fraud in favor of Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.

Leader of Algeria’s Algerian National Front (FNA) Moussa Touati said guarantees given by authorities about the elections transparency are not just insufficient but they were violated.

“Fraud started before the elections either in the signatures collection process or applications submission at the Constitutional Council,” he added.

He believed that authorities should have applied the FNA’s suggestions about electronic voting and promulgating a law to allow candidates to fill lawsuits if there is elections fraud.

Touati called on the Constitutional Council to inform public opinion about the candidates’ applications including health certificates.

He added that he will run for office in spite of fraud indicators in order to condemn those wrongdoings.

Communication director at candidate Ali Benflis’ electoral campaign department Lotfi Boumghar believes that guarantees given by authorities are sufficient but all the institutions should respect them.

“Ali Benflis asked for the implementation of the law on elections, transparency guarantees and the President’s instructions,” he told Echorouk on the phone.

He added high turnover will not allow fraud. He criticized the Algerian TV channel for not being neutral and condemned wrongdoings in signatures collection for President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.

Boumghar believes that Benflis wants to approve alternation in Algeria in a peaceful way. “Millions of Algerians share the same ambition,” he said.

Candidate Mohamed Ben Hamou says there is no fraud indicator. “The result of the presidential elections is not decided in advance.”

He added that he will enter the race without worries as judges who will supervise the elections are sworn in.

“The interior ministry will be neutral because it represents the administration of all the Algerian people,” he said.