Guinea's once-ruling RPG party on Thursday was taking steps to replace former President Alpha Conde after he was ousted last September in a military coup.

An extraordinary assembly gathering 368 members of Conde's Rally of the People of Guinea (RPG) was to meet in the capital Conakry.

A provisional executive council will be appointed ahead of a congress, likely to be held before the end of the year, with the aim of naming a successor to him.

Conde became in 2010 Guinea's first democratically elected president.

But the 83-year-old was deposed by army officers last year amid fierce protests over his successful bid for a third term in office -- a plan that critics said breached the constitution.

The President of Guinea, Alpha Conde (83) has been arrested along with additional senior officials by rebels who staged a military coup. Heavy gunfire has been reported surrounding the presidential palace in the capital, Conakry. 

Jeune Afrique magazine reported that the coup was led by special army forces.

The coup was led by Mamadi Doumbouya, a former member of the French Foreign Legion, who confirmed the dissolving of the constitution and the government in the West African state.

The leader of the Putschists Mamadi Doumbouya pledged the formation of a "national unity government" leading to political transition and detailing that there will be no hunting campaigns for the previous government. 

Read more: NYT: Guinean Soldiers Who Staged a Coup Underwent US Training

Conde was allowed to leave Guinea in January, officially for medical care in the United Arab Emirates, but his figure still looms large at home.

The RPG was buffeted last month after its leaders put forward Ibrahima Kassory Fofana, who served as Prime Minister under Conde from May 2018 until the coup, to head the provisional executive council.

Several former leaders of the RPG are being targeted in anti-corruption investigations launched by the junta.

The leader of the coup, Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, had himself sworn in as president last October. 

He has promised to restore civilian rule, but so far nothing has been done on the ground.