Gambiaj.com – (BISSAU, Guinea-Bissau) – Botche Candé, a staunch supporter of President Umaro Sissoco Embaló and current Minister of the Interior, has appealed to opposition leader Domingos Simões Pereira to engage in dialogue with the president to prevent the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) from “dying.”

Speaking over the weekend in a town in the interior of Guinea-Bissau, Candé, who also coordinates the Republican Platform, a coalition of parties backing Embaló’s re-election, called for reconciliation between the two political rivals following the exclusion of the PAI–Terra Ranka coalition from the upcoming November 23 elections.

“Domingos Simões Pereira, in person, should look for Umaro Sissoco Embaló, and he should also look for Domingos to talk and to walk together so that the PAIGC does not die,” Candé said, as quoted by the Guinean press.

The Supreme Court of Justice recently barred the PAI–Terra Ranka coalition, led by the PAIGC, from contesting the legislative elections scheduled to take place alongside the presidential poll. The court also rejected Simões Pereira’s registration as a presidential candidate, citing procedural delays in reviewing his application.

Candé, who served in the government appointed by Embaló after the 2023 dissolution of Parliament dominated by the PAIGC, suggested that the opposition should emulate Senegal’s approach, where the disqualified opposition leader Ousmane Sonko’s party instead backed Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who went on to win the presidency.

“The PAIGC should follow Senegal’s example,” he argued, warning that the historic party “could die” if Simões Pereira insists on being its sole presidential candidate.

Despite their political differences, Candé stressed that he would never insult Simões Pereira, whom he described as a brother, and renewed his call for national unity.

“I call for unity among all Guinean politicians, under the leadership of Umaro Sissoco Embaló, to make history in Guinea-Bissau,” he declared.