Albertino Graça is candidate for President of the Republic of Cape Verde

Cape Verde, 29 July 2016 - Albertino Emanuel “Titota” Lopes da Graça is running for President of the Republic of Cape Verde, in the election scheduled for 2 October this year. This confirmation is from the Support Center for the Candidacy of the professor and current Rector of the University of Mindelo, which is preparing the file to be presented to the Court on the 3rd of August. This political project is motivated by ideals of greater balance on the islands of the archipelago and the will to work for social equality and justice, says its nucleus.

As told asemanaonline Emanuel Spencer, a member of the Support Center, Albertino Graça's candidacy for the head of State goes ahead. “The candidate had already been approaching some friends, asking for opinions and support on his intention to run for the position of highest magistrate in the Nation. He is a citizen encouraged by this group of friends, which has taken shape, and he is even going to run for office,” he guarantees.

Spencer ensures that the application process, still in the preparation phase, is proceeding normally. "Any support is welcome - regardless of party or political color - for this citizen who wants to show that he can run for public office without having the specific stamp of any political sphere", guarantees Emanuel Spencer .

Without mentioning the names of supporters and important figures behind this candidacy, Spencer asserts that Albertino Graça has already received several calls from both the country and abroad, motivating him to continue with this political project. And he argues that being a natural candidate from São Vicente, it is normal that he already has more “supporters” on this island.

He adds that the fundamental ideas defended by the candidacy of Albertino Graça "are the balance and harmony of all our islands, without differences between them or between the Barlavento and Sotavento regions". It also defends the reinforcement of social equality and justice in the country".

With the confirmation of this candidacy, the number of candidates for the post of President of the Republic rises to three. In addition to the current head of state, Jorge Carlos Fonseca, there is also combatant Joaquim Jaime Monteiro, the first to announce, for the second time, his candidacy. It is awaited whether there will be other candidates for the Palace of Plateau.

Political Path

Albertino “Titota” Graça, a native of São Vicente, was a member of staff at Enapor for several years. With a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Coimbra, Portugal, Albertino is referred to as being the main mentor of the “IESIG - Instituto de Estudos Superiores Isidoro da Graça” project. As president of the institution since its foundation in 2002, he conceived and promoted the transfer of IESIG to the University of Mindelo. He holds a Master's Degree in Development Management and International Cooperation – December 2006 – Universidade Moderna de Lisboa, and a PhD in Economic Sciences from October 2010 at Universidade de Oriente (Santiago, Cuba).

Albertino Graça always showed political ambitions. His political journey was marked by the fact that he accepted the invitation to be the representative of former President of the Republic Aristides Pereira in S. Nicolau, shortly after the holding of the first multi-party elections of 1991 in Cape Verde. From the second decade of the 90's onwards, he was close to the former mayor of S. Vicente, Onesimo Silveira, mainly through the Espaço Democrático association of which he was a founding member. In 2005 he ran, as leader of the “Movimento Modernizar S.Vicente”, for the Chamber of S.Vicente, but only elected one deputy. Albertino Emanuel “Titota” Lopes da Graça is currently Rector of the University of Mindelo.

Source : The Week