. ▁Later , ▁Alg ab id ▁also ▁became ▁head ▁of ▁the ▁Con ver gence ▁for ▁the ▁Republic ▁( CP R ), ▁a ▁pro - Ma ï n ass ara ▁coal ition ▁composed ▁of ▁ 1 5 ▁parties , ▁which ▁was ▁formed ▁in ▁August ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁ ▁Fif th ▁Republic ▁Ma ï n ass ara ▁was ▁assass in ated ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁and ▁a ▁military ▁regime ▁scheduled ▁a ▁new ▁president ial ▁election ▁for ▁late ▁in ▁the ▁year . ▁Alg ab id ▁ran ▁as ▁the ▁R DP - J ama ' a ▁candidate ▁in ▁this ▁election ; ▁although ▁Am ad ou ▁C iss é , ▁the ▁R DP ' s ▁Vice - Pres ident , ▁also ▁attempted ▁to ▁run ▁as ▁the ▁R DP ▁candidate , ▁the ▁Court ▁of ▁State ▁approved ▁Alg ab id ' s ▁candid acy ▁and ▁rejected ▁C iss é ' s ▁candid acy ▁on ▁ 3 ▁September . ▁In ▁the ▁first ▁round ▁of ▁the ▁election , ▁held ▁on ▁ 1 7 ▁October , ▁Alg ab id ▁placed ▁fourth ▁out ▁of ▁seven ▁candidates , ▁winning ▁ 1 0 . 8 3 % ▁of ▁the ▁vote . ▁On ▁ 6 ▁November , ▁Alg ab id ▁announced ▁his ▁support ▁for ▁Mah am ad ou ▁Iss ou f ou , ▁the ▁candidate ▁of ▁the ▁Niger ien ▁Party ▁for ▁Dem ocracy ▁and ▁Social ism , ▁in ▁the ▁second ▁round ; ▁Iss ou f ou ▁was ▁defeated ▁by ▁T and ja ▁Mam ad ou ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Mov ement