In Guinea-Bissau: Ruling party appoints third PM in 5 weeks

The country descended into political turmoil after President Jose Mario Vaz sacked popular prime minister Domingoes Simoes Pereira and his government on Aug. 13.

Ruling party appoints Guinea-Bissau's third PM in 5 weeks
(Yahoo) 

Guinea-Bissau's ruling party selected veteran politician Carlos Correia as Prime Minister on Thursday after two predecessors were removed in the space of weeks in the coup-prone West African state.

The country descended into political turmoil after President Jose Mario Vaz sacked popular Prime Minister Domingoes Simoes Pereira and his government on August 13.

Vaz replaced him with Baciro Dja, despite objections from the ruling PAIGC party, but he and his government were dismissed two days later to comply with a Supreme Court ruling.

"The political bureau of the liberating party of the country has...designated Carlos Correia, second vice president of the party," Pereira, former prime minister and PAIGC president, told reporters.

It was not clear whether Vaz would accept the party's PM nomination.

Correia, one of several PAIGC vice-presidents, served as prime minister on three occasions between 1991 and 2008.

According to the party, the octogenarian initially refused Thursday's nomination because of health issues, but eventually agreed because of strong relationships with Vaz and Pereira.

No elected president in Guinea-Bissau has served a complete term since independence from Portugal in 1974. The country has reported nine coups or attempted coups since 1980.