Togo's ruling party wins polls
2007-10-18 09:47
Lome - Togo's ruling Rally for the Togolese People (RPT) won an overall majority of seats in parliamentary elections, securing 49 out of 81 seats, said the national electoral commission, citing provisional results.
A total of 2 100 candidates, representing one of Togo's 32 political parties or running as independents, competed for the parliamentary seats.
Gilchrist Olympio's opposition Union of Forces for Change (UFC) garnered 21 seats in Sunday's election, while Prime Minister Yawovi Agboyibo's Action Committee for Renewal (CAR) won four.
Vote counting had not been completed in two constituencies, including the capital, Lome, where the UFC appeared to be leading, leaving seven seats still up for grabs.
Turnout stood at a massive 95%, commission chief Tozim Potopere said.
Election 'free, fair, open'
RPT secretary Esso Solitoki said: "This is a victory for the Togolese people who voted massively. Together we shall rebuild this country."
The poll enabled the RPT to measure the influence it retained over the country two years after the death of the party's founder Gnassingbe Eyadema, who ruled the country for 38 years.
It also served as a test of the opening up policy brought in by the new President Faure Gnassingbe, one of Eyadema's sons.
The RPT had based its campaign message on what the president achieved in two years in office in the way of reconciliation and smoother relations between the ruling party and the opposition.
Observers from the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) concluded on Tuesday in a report that the weekend parliamentary election was "free, fair and open".
The 15-nation group sent 152 military and civilian monitors to the small country to track the poll.
Whether the election was judged to be free and fair would determine whether the European Union resumed aid to this country of six million people, after a 14-year suspension.
EU observers were among more than 3 500 Togolese and foreign observers monitoring the poll.