Former Ivory Coast First Lady Simone Gbagbo has gone from hiding in a bunker in an attempt to avoid arrest to defiantly announcing she will run for president.

In an extraordinary comeback, the controversial 76-year-old was this week surprisingly allowed to contest October's elections, calling on supporters to help "build a new nation".

For years, Gbagbo worked side-by-side with her ex-husband Laurent, and was considered to be the power behind his throne.

Now, with a criminal conviction and a divorce behind her, she takes centre stage as a presidential candidate in her own right.

Gbagbo was Ivory Coast's first lady from 2000 to 2011 and was dubbed "the iron lady" due to her reputation for toughness.