By Abdoulie John
Guinea’s Supreme Court on Wednesday validated a final list of nine presidential candidates for the December 28, 2025, elections, rejecting complaints from independent hopefuls and political parties amid escalating political friction in the West African nation.
The decision caps weeks of uncertainty as the country prepares for a high-stakes poll under the shadow of military rule following the 2021 coup led by Colonel Mamadi Doumbouya. Voters will choose from seven party-backed candidates and two independents, with the court dismissing appeals that could have expanded the field.
The approved lineup includes: Independents: Mamadi Doumbouya (the incumbent transitional leader) and Mohamed Sherif Tounkara, Abdoulaye Yéro Baldé, Front Démocratique de Guinée (FRONDEG), Makalé Camara, Front pour l’Alliance Nationale (FAN), Ibrahima Abé Sylla, Nouvelle Génération pour la République (NGR), Faya Lansana Millimouno, Bloc Libéral (BL), Abdoulaye Kourouma, Rassemblement pour la Renaissance et le Développement (RRD), Mohamed Nabé, Alliance pour le Renouveau et le Progrés (ARP), Elhadji Bouna Keita of Rassemblement pour une Guinée Prospére (RGP).
Notably absent is exiled opposition figure Cellou Dalein Diallo, a former prime minister and perennial contender, who was barred from running in the election. Diallo, leader of the Union des Forces Démocratiques de Guinée (UFDG), declined to comment on the ruling when reached by this outlet.
In a separate development, UFDG Vice-President Aliou Condé, speaking from his hospital bed in Guinea, cited a serious illness as the reason for his silence. “I am not in a position to talk,” Condé told The Alkamba Times, underscoring health challenges facing key opposition voices.
Critics argue the exclusions signal a tightening grip on power, fueling protests and international concerns over democratic backsliding.
Supporters of the court maintain the process upholds legal standards. As campaign season intensifies, Guineans face a pivotal choice that could shape the nation’s post-coup trajectory.
