In Guinea-Bissau, opposition leader and former Prime Minister Domingos Simões Pereira is preparing legal action against the state following the rejection of his presidential candidacy.
The Supreme Court dismissed his submission on Tuesday, citing lateness, even though the official deadline remains Thursday, September 25. Pereira, leader of the historic PAIGC party, had only just returned from nine months in exile to file ahead of the November 2025 elections.
The move has stirred unease both domestically and internationally, as critics warn it undermines democratic credibility in the politically fragile country.
Fredrick Ndecky, a conflict analyst with the West Africa Policy Institute, cautioned that the weaponization of state institutions to sideline opponents will only heighten political tensions as President Umaro Sissoco Embaló seeks re-election with little resistance.
