CONAKRY (Reuters) – Guinea’s electoral commission yesterday declared President Alpha Conde winner of an October 11 election to give him a second five-year term.
Conde gained 58 per cent of almost 4 million votes cast, avoiding a runoff vote that several observers had said was possible.
Opposition leader Cellou Dalein Diallo won 31 per cent. He called for calm, but said he did not recognise the result and would ask his supporters to protest against fraud and rigging.
“The Constitutional Court still needs to render its verdict, but the National Electoral Commission proclaims President Alpha Conde winner in the first round,” commission head Bakary Fofana told a news conference.
Candidates have eight days to lodge complaints before the election is ratified by the Constitutional Court. Election observers are yet to pronounce on the vote tallying process, but they said the vote was valid despite logistical problems.
Crowds of Conde supporters took to the streets to celebrate while sporadic gunfire rang out in some neighbourhoods. It was unclear whether the shots were a sign of unrest or ruling party activists firing into the air.
Guinea holds one-third of the world’s reserves of the aluminium ore bauxite and also produces diamonds and gold. It is relying on mining to boost its economy, estimated by the World Bank at $6.6 billion in 2014, after a slowdown caused by Ebola. More than 2,500 people have died of Ebola in Guinea since the outbreak was declared in March 2014, from a toll of more than 11,300 in three West African states.
The outbreak has dwindled virtually to zero, but two new cases were declared in Guinea on Friday.
Diallo accused the commission and the government of abuses including ballot stuffing, allowing minors to vote, changing the electoral map and intimidation. But he said he would not appeal to the court.
