(5 minutes read)
• Observers from the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have said Guinea’s poll was conducted transparently
• Augustin Matata Ponyo, the AU’s head of mission in Guinea, said that the election was held “in transparency” and ruled out any irregularities
• Guineans on Sunday cast ballots for a president, as incumbent Alpha Conde seeks a controversial third term
Observers from the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have said Guinea’s poll was conducted transparently. However, the opposition has a different take claiming irregularities during the poll.
Interestingly, as reported by www.trendsnafrica.com immediately after the first phase of the electoral process on Sunday, opposition leader Cellou Diallo declared himself the winner based on his own tally in the first-round of the election over 82-year old present incumbent president Alpha Conde. However, this claim was immediately rejected by the electoral commission, which called it “premature” and “void”.
Augustin Matata Ponyo, the AU’s head of mission in Guinea, said that the election was held “in transparency” and ruled out any irregularities. He lamented the Guinean people and political leaders for holding the election in a matured way
However, tension is building in the country ahead of the release of official results. Despite the election commission’s rejection of the assertion of Diallo, his supporters held celebrations in the capital. It is important to note the comment of Francis Behanzin, ECOWAS’ Peace and Security commissioner, who urged candidates “to resort to legal avenues” if they are aggrieved by the results.
There is a mixed member system to elect the 114 members of the National Assembly. Of that, 38 members are elected from the single-member constituencies from 33 prefectures and five Communes of the capital city Conakry. The other 76 members are elected through a single nation-wide constituency by proportional representation.
Guineans on Sunday cast ballots for a president, as incumbent Alpha Conde seeks a controversial third term. In March this year, President Conde pushed through a new constitution on the plea that it would modernize the country. But his detractors claim that the move was to bypass a two-term limit for president. This had sparked nation-wide protests.
Conde, representing the Rally of the Guinean People party, was the country’s first democratically elected leader after the West African country getting independence from France in 1958. He came to power through the ballot box in 2010. His main opponent is Cellou Dalein Diallo, who served as prime minister under authoritarian leader Lansana Conte. The electoral rules stipulate that in the event neither candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, a runoff election will take place.
