Incumbent Alassane Ouattara is the overwhelming favourite to secure a fourth term as Ivory Coast holds presidential polls Saturday, a task facilitated by the absence of several key opposition figures. Ouattara, 83, has wielded power in the world's top cocoa producer since 2011, when the country began reasserting itself as a west African economic powerhouse. "We want a knockout blow," chorus his allies as they target a decisive win in the first round and avoid a run-off. The constitutional council did greenlight four opposition candidates but eliminated Gbagbo and Thiam on the grounds they have been removed from the electoral roll. Thiam fell afoul of nationality-related legal issues stemming from him acquiring French citizenship and Gbagbo was excluded for a criminal conviction.