Guinea opposition leader claims victory in presidential vote
Premature victory celebrations have turned violent in Guinea as opposition leader Cellou Dalein Diallo claimed victory in the presidential election before the announcement of the official results.
“Despite the serious anomalies that marred the smooth running of the… election and in view of the results that came out of the ballot boxes, I am victorious in this election in the first round,” Diallo told reporters and cheering supporters on Monday.
Diallo, the main challenger to incumbent President Alpha Conde, gave no figures, but said his announcement was based on his party’s count.
His claim was quickly disputed by the electoral commission, which described it as “null and void.”
“The Independent National Electoral Commission is the only body authorized to give provisional results. It is neither for a political party nor for any individual to do so,” Mamadi 3 Kaba, a spokesman for the commission, told Reuters.
“We regret the attitude of Mr. Diallo and we say that this declaration is null and void,” he added.
Twelve candidates have been vying in the first round of the presidential election, which was held on Sunday.
Guinea’s government said in a statement late on Monday that the results from over 15,000 polling stations were still being tallied.
“It is impossible, at this stage of the process, to have… trends, let alone the results of the vote,” it said in the statement.
The government also denounced Diallo’s remarks as irresponsible and dangerous for peace in the West African country, warning it could launch criminal charges against him.
Nevertheless, Diallo’s supporters took to the streets to celebrate his alleged victory. But the celebrations turned into clashes with security forces.
Diallo tweeted on Monday night that three young boys had been killed and several people injured by security forces.
Security Minister Damantang Albert Camara denounced the celebrations. “This strategy of forced, premature, and unjustified celebration was carefully planned well before the election,” he said.
Dozens of people were killed over the past year during protests against a constitutional change pushed through by Conde in March that allowed him to seek a third mandate.
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