Presidential clashes: Four African countries where successors and predecessors fell out

Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz and Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani of Mauritania

The current tensions between the current and immediate former presidents of Mauritania are due to the leadership of the ruling party.

Both men are members of the Union for the Republic party but since El Ghazouani’s ascension to power in August of 2019, he has tried to consolidate his hold over the party.

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But Abdel Aziz is not one to be undone. The former president appointed El Ghazouani as defence minister in 2018 and supported the latter’s bid for the presidency.

Now Abdel Aziz is unhappy about the pretensions of his protege who wants to command control over the party Aziz founded.