Togo's exiled leader to return
2006-10-18 19:46
Lome - The exiled leader of Togo's United Forces for Change (UFC), the country's main opposition party, Gilchrist Olympio is due to return home in a "couple of weeks", said a party official on Wednesday.
"Our national president will be in Lome in a couple of weeks to meet officials of the party," said the UFC official.
"He will hold talks with all officials (of the party) as well as those of the federated unions in the interior of the country on the latest political developments, before organising a meeting," said the official who demanded anonymity.
The UFC boycotted the government appointed last September 20 by President Faure Gnassingbe.
The UFC's second vice-president, Amah Gnassingbe, has however, entered the government formed by Yawovi Agboyibo as a minister of state.
The formation of a government "of national union" is one of the major points of a "global political agreement" signed on August 20 in Lome by the political actors after several months of negotiations.
Gilchrist Olympio, 69, son of Sylvanus Olympio, Togo's first president assassinated in 1963, has been in exile in France since 1999.
According to his close associates, he fears for his security after having been victim of an attempt on his life in May 1992 in the centre of the country.
Since then, he only made short visits to Lome, the last being in April during the 46th independence anniversary which he celebrated along with his party members.
- SAPA