Togo’s President Faure Gnassingbe on Monday hailed a crushing election victory that gave him a fourth term, as his main rival insisted he had won and called on people to “defend” their votes.
The incumbent leader took 72 per cent of the vote in the first round of Saturday’s presidential poll, the election commission said overnight, far ahead of former prime minister Agbeyome Kodjo on 18 per cent.
The opposition alleged widespread fraud including ballot stuffing and the use of fake polling stations to skew the results in Gnassingbe’s favour.
The widely expected win extends more than a half century of dynastic rule over the former French colony by Gnassingbe’s family despite broad disillusion over its failure to drag many out of poverty.
“The truth has just come to light after the announcement of the results which place us far ahead of our adversaries,” Gnassingbe, 53, told celebrating supporters.
“Those who wanted to get agitated got agitated, they announced…
Source: Vanguard Newspaper
