Chadli Bendjedid’s widow: “Pt Chadli Bendjedid refused to halt 1991 election process…and preferred to resign'

The widow of former Algerian President late Chadli Bendjedid Ms. Halima confirmed that the resignation of her husband from the presidency was made with conviction and that this was a personal decision after the now dissolved FIS Party had won the first round of legislative elections in December 1991 to preserve Algeria’s from drifting to turmoil.

She also noted that some parties at that time, led by former defense minister, Khaled Nezzar, were intent on stopping the electoral process, stressing that this intended move was contrary to her husband’s deep convictions and pledges to respect the will of the people in these 1991 elections and not to trample underfoot the people’s legitimacy, which allowed the FIS party to win a majority of seats in Parliament, and to pursue the electoral process by going to the second round of these first multiparty legislative polls in the country.

Furthermore, she asserted that some Army generals were opposed to him after the announcement of the polls’

returns asking him to rescind the voting and to reorganize new elections.

But Chadli Bendjedid, she said, rejected this option in the name the values and principles of the state and the oath taken in the name of God to respect the Constitution as President of the Republic.

She further indicated that her late husband, who sustained a terrible pressure owing to this turn in events, preferred to rather step down than put the country in jeopardy, by accepting the Generals’ request, saying that God Almighty knows what is in his heart and that He is his only judge.

Ms Halima added that her husband was a believer, a mudjahid and a revolutionary who had served his country sincerely and honestly and that he had always remained true to its principles in all circumstances and that in order to be at peace with his conscience, he chose to resign from the post of President.