Guinea re-elects incumbent president in 1st round

By Fatma Esma Arslan

DAKAR, Senegal (AA) – Guinea’s incumbent President Alpha Conde secured 59.49% of votes in the presidential elections held on Oct. 18, the country’s electoral authority announced on Saturday.

Conde, 82, was elected president in the first round, according to the country's Independent National Election Commission.

Cellou Dalein Diallo, the main rival and leader of the opposition Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea (UFDG), got 33.5% of votes, the election commission said.

None of the other 10 candidates exceeded the 5% threshold.

In March, a new Constitution passed via referendum reset presidential terms, allowing Conde to seek a third term.

Conde's Rally of the Guinean People (RPG) and his main opponent, Cellou Dalein Diallo's UFDG, have accused each other of fueling inter-communal tensions during the campaign.

On Monday, Diallo claimed victory in Guinea’s presidential election, a claim rejected by the government.

The opposition candidate denounced the ongoing violence after security forces stormed the UFDG’s office on Wednesday.

Several people, including a police officer, have been killed in clashes between police and protesters following the announcement of provisional results earlier this week.

Guinea has a two-round electoral system, with a second round triggered if no candidate gets more than 50% of the vote in the first.

* Writing by Gozde Bayar