Togo leader extends term
2003-06-05 11:11
Lome - Togo's Gnassingbe Eyadema, the longest-serving leader in Africa, won a clear victory with 57% of votes in presidential polls that will see him extend his rule for another five years, according to provisional official results published on Wednesday.
The general far outpaced his closest rival, the opposition Union of Forces for Change (UFC) party candidate Emmanuel Bob Akitani, who won 34.14% in the June 1 poll, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission.
The UFC had fielded Akitani as its candidate after the exiled party leader, Gilchrist Olympio, was barred from taking part in the election.
Olympio, the son of Togo's first president Sylvanus Olympio, was seen as the only candidate capable of posing a serious threat to Eyadema in the presidential contest.
Eyadema, 67, has run the tiny west African state with an iron fist since coming to power after a coup d'etat in 1967 which toppled Olympio's father. He said two years ago he would retire this year but changed his tune last month, saying he was bowing to pressure from his omnipotent ruling Rally of Togolese People (RPT) party.
The election results will be considered official once they are validated by the country's constitutional council, which must examine any appeals lodged by the candidates.
An international election observer committee on Tuesday called the poll fair and transparent and said its results should be accepted, but several opposition candidates slammed the vote as riddled with fraud.
The UFC denounced "massive fraud" in the Sunday election, alleging there had been incidents of ballot-stuffing, non-distribution of voter cards, and other fraud.
The other presidential candidates trailed far behind Eyadema and Akitani, according to the election committee report.
Yawovi Agboyibo from the Committee of Action for Renewal (CAR) party came in third, garnering 5.2% of the vote.
Maurice Dahuku Pere, another opposition candidate and ruling party defector was next with 2.26%.
The sole independent candidate, businessman Nicolas Lawson, took just 0.21% of votes, while Edem Kodjo - who had officially dropped out of the race to back Akitani - scored 0.96%.
Eyadema swept the poll in his native north, where he gained up to 93% in one district, and in the central region.
According to the electoral commission, voter turnout was 42%, or about 508 000 for 1.2 million eligible voters.
Togo, a former French colony, is a nation of about 4.7 million between Ghana and Benin.